Do you work in Aged Care or Home Care? As a care worker, the best way to stand up for a better deal for you, your fellow workers and your residents, is to join your union.
Wait, what is a union?
Unions were started by workers to give them a stronger voice at work and in the community.
Unions collectively bargain for better pay and conditions, provide representation at work, and engage in community and political campaigns that impact members’ lives – like fighting for superannuation, minimum wage increases and our campaign to change aged care.
What’s wrong with the Aged Care system?
Australian’s Aged Care system is in crisis. COVID-19 has exposed the failings of years of neglect by providers and government underfunding. Yet even before COVID, we were being paid poorly, short-staffed, suffering from heavy workloads, and insecure jobs.
We didn’t decide to work in Aged Care because we wanted to have to rush elderly residents to shower, change clothes and finish their meals. We want time to care, to give older Australians the respect and dignity they deserve.
“Workers have enormous strains put on them”
-Latvina, Aged Care worker and union member.
How will joining the union help?
Together, we can change aged care.
We’re leading the campaign to change our workplaces for the better. Never before has Aged Care been under the spotlight like right now, and we’re building a hard-hitting campaign led by members to build pressure on the government to act. To win this fight, we all need to stand together and unite as one.
“To win this fight we all need to stand together and unite as one. We need to get some weight behind our numbers”
-Jen, Aged Care worker and union member from Queensland.
Better pay and conditions
Union members stand together for better pay and conditions, respect, and job security at work. There’s strength in numbers – when we negotiate together, we can drive a hard bargain. When you’re in the union, our collective ability to represent all workers and show solidarity is more powerful.
Union members earning more isn’t just a myth, it’s proven by the data. Australian Bureau of Statistics found that workers in the community and personal service sector who are union members earn on average $450 more every week.
When you’re union, you’re never alone at work.
When you face poor treatment – like unfair dismissal, safety issues or harassment from management – it’s important to be union. UWU delegates, representatives and leaders at worksites across the country have you back. It means you can ask for advice and support. It means you’ll never have to go to a meeting alone. Union industrial experts and lawyers can also assist with representation and advice.
Training, Information and Community
Union members have access to exclusive information, training and development designed to support you at work and in your career. From royal commissions to COVID regulations and vaccines, it can be tough to make sense of it all, but UWU members have access to regular expert briefings. You’ll also have access to a community of members from across the country, including our Facebook group of over 3,000 like-minded care workers.
Standing up for what’s right.
When you join your union, you join a movement with a long history of achieving massive wins for working people. Sick leave, weekends, overtime, annual leave, redundancy, penalty rates and long service leave and universal superannuation were all hard-fought union wins. UWU members defend these wins everyday by being union. Our fight for secure jobs, domestic violence leave, increased superannuation and other rights and conditions continues.
Which union covers aged care workers?
The union representing Aged Care, Home Care and disability support workers in Australia is the United Workers Union (UWU). UWU is one of Australia’s largest unions representing over 150,000 members, from all walks of life.
Our size and diversity of membership is a massive collective strength – enabling us to run big campaigns that can win long-term wins for members.
Ready to join our movement?
Click here to JOIN today