Aged Care Contract Requirements Comply With International And NZ Law

"The DHB contractual requirement for aged care employers to work collectively is a vital part of improving pay and conditions, and building better standards of training, health and safety and quality care in the sector," CTU president Ross Wilson said today.

"We agreed with DHBs and employers on a two stage strategy in February and the DHB requirement will merely provide for collective agreements as vehicles for this work and as a transparent and cost-effective audit to ensure pass-on of the wages to the workers in the sector," he said.

"That this requirement is entirely lawful and consistent with both international law and the Employment Relations Act has already been confirmed by several legal opinions."

"Everyone agrees on the need for urgent change in the low wage rates in aged care and many providers are focused on working with DHBs and unions to ensure workers get wage increases as intended by the additional Government money into the sector."

"Martin Taylor from Health Care Providers NZ is happy to attack this proposal but typically he hasn't got any constructive ideas himself.  He should stop complaining and using legal action as a means to divert the focus away from the real problems facing the aged care sector," Ross Wilson said.