Improving conditions of support workers will lead to better outcomes for people with disabilities

“Improving the employment conditions and ensuring decent wages for people providing care in the disability sector is fundamental to providing a better quality of care to people with disabilities,” CTU president Ross Wilson told a select committee inquiry this morning.

The CTU, alongside the Service and Food Workers Union and workers in disability care were appearing before the Social Services select committee inquiry into the Quality and Care of Service Provision for Disabled People.

“Most workers in this sector are paid minimum wages rates, have inadequate access to training and supervision, are often working alone and are exposed to significant health and safety issues in the course of their physically and emotionally demanding work,” Ross Wilson said.

“We are working with Government and employers in the sector to achieve improvements in wages, training, and standards of health and safety and care, and collective bargaining provides the best opportunity to achieve this.”

“It is an approach that worked well in early childhood care, which has transformed itself into a sector with high levels of trained staff, better pay, increased recognition of skills and significantly improved safety and quality standards.”

“Addressing the employment rights and needs of workers in the sector will go some way to ensuring that the rights of people with disabilities to quality care are met.”

“The CTU has a commitment to the human rights and human dignity of all people.  We support the New Zealand Disability Strategy, and we supported the repeal of the Disabled Persons Employment Promotion Act, which must also come with better resourcing to help people with disabilities in areas like supported employment,” Ross Wilson said.