Mercy Health has assured families the safety and well-being of residents at its Werribee aged care centre will not be compromised despite nurses and carers taking industrial action over a pay dispute.
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) members at Mercy aged care sites across Victoria, including Mercy Place Wyndham, have rejected a pay offer from management which the union claims would still result in staff being paid significantly less than their colleagues at other aged care facilities.
The union has called for wage increases of 13.25 per cent for nurses and 15 per cent for personal care assistants over four years. Mercy Health has offered 12.5 per cent for nurses and 14.5 per cent for personal-care assistants.
ANMF secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said staff at Mercy Place Wyndham held a stop work meeting last Friday and would continue the rolling stoppages until Mercy Health improves its offer. The union claims that at the end of the last wage agreement, Mercy Health’s personal- care assistants were being paid more than 3 per cent less than standard industry rates.
“Nurses and carers working at Mercy sites across Victoria should be valued for the vital work they do in caring for older Victorians. They should not be undervalued and paid below industry standards,” Ms Fitzpatrick said.
Mercy Health executive director of aged care Voula Yankoulas said the current pay offer on the table was “genuine and reasonable”.
“Mercy Health is disappointed that the ANMF has chosen to take industrial action in full knowledge that the proposed action will directly impact our residents,” she said.
“We will continue to work with the ANMF to reach a resolution to this current dispute and will continue to value and support our employees in caring for our residents.
“Mercy Health assures residents and their families that during this period of industrial activity the safety and well-being of residents will remain paramount.”
