BY ALICE MENNIE
CANBERRA — Along with more than 100 aged care nurses from across NSW, I travelled to Parliament House on September 10 to protest about the unequal treatment of aged care nurses.
We had one simple demand — to increase our wage to be equal with nurses in the public hospital system. As the Newcastle organiser of the protest, Robyn Starkey, explained, "A nurse is a nurse regardless of where they work". Nurses in the public hospital system receive 18% more than nurses in aged care work.
Our journey was not simply for money, it was for respect for our patients. Aged care is in crisis, with many nurses leaving because they are not valued as professionals. With workloads increasing and a shortage of trained nurses, it is impossible for nurses to provide quality care.
The NSW Nurses Association has been negotiating for wage increases, improved workload management, an end to unreasonable overtime, and allowances for qualifications. The NSWNA has received an offer of a 6% increase for full-time nurses, but most nurses are employed on a permanent part-time basis. A first-year aged care nurse is on $11.25 per hour.
Grace, a nurse from Cumberland, told me: "After a 12-hour shift, I come home to wash and look after the children, which puts incredible strain on my relationship. I cannot carry on working like this."
While nurses live in poverty, the fat cats who feed off the profits from nursing homes are laughing all the way to the bank.
Before the bus trip, a delegation of nurses had met with the federal minister for aged care, Kevin Andrews, who refused to promise any more funding until the budget in May 2004. The delegation reiterated that the crisis was now, not next year.
On arrival in Canberra, we marched to Parliament House, chanting "fair share for aged care", carrying placards of "unsung heroes", such as "Marie from Wollongong, a single mother of five who couldn't make the trip".
Our rally was met by independent MPs Peter Andren and Tony Windsor, and opposition aged care spokesperson Annette Ellis, who all expressed support.
We then moved to the public gallery in Parliament House, in anticipation of Ellis' planned "tough question" for Andrews. However, when a question was finally asked, Andrews dodged it and Ellis seemed satisfied.
We intend to continue our struggle — knowing that if we dare to struggle, we can dare to win.
[Alice Mennie is a nurse in NSW and a member of the Socialist Alliance.]
From Green Left Weekly, October 1, 2003.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.