SMS aged care boss: demand decency

Date: 23 June 2005

Union workers at West Australia's largest for profit aged care provider - Hall & Prior - are organising for a $1 an hour pay increase.

Community activists are joining a campaign to SMS Hall & Prior to tell them that they should stop demanding trade-offs for the $1 an hour pay increase and stop trying to establish a hostile non-union workplace.

The dispute, at 14 facilities, effects about 600 workers who have had to face intimidatory tactics from management - including violent threats from a company manager.

Company faces possible fines over threats to 'run over'

An LHMU WA organiser, Julie Taylor, has tendered a statement to the Federal Court about the violent threats saying she had received a call from Hall & Prior's Linen Services manager, Doug Colman, who said he would "run her over" when she visited one of the company facilities.

When the organiser asked if this was meant to be a threat Mr Colman said "... things can happen if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'll run you over..."

The comments from the company manager were heard on loudspeaker by several of Ms Taylor's colleagues.

A senior carer at Hall & Prior earns a maximum of $13.51p/h and support staff earn a maximum of $13p/h.

Most aged care workers have won what Hall & Prior refuse to pay

Hall & Prior have responded to the workers organising for the $1 increase by stalling negotiations, demanding trade offs of 2 weeks Annual Leave & access to Accrued Days Off and trying to establish a non-union workplace committee.

Union members and supporters are today demonstrating their support for this campaign for fair pay by sending an SMS to Hall & Prior on 0419 929 755 to tell them one or more of the following:

- $1 an hour; OR

- NO TRADE OFFS; OR

- One Union Agreement

Under the Workplace Relations Act it is illegal to hinder an authorised union official from entering a workplace to hold discussions with employees, as long as sufficient notice is given.

WA LHMU Secretary Dave Kelly said that the threats were obviously tied to the fact that LHMU members were now in the middle of protracted wage negotiations with Hall & Prior.

"We are not going to stand for union officials or union members being threatened. It is illegal, and we will pursue any manager who makes threats when employees are simply having discussions about a pay claim.

"Hall & Prior try to badge themselves as professionals in the care industry. Residents and families of their residents should know that this is how their managers conduct business."

For media comment

Simone McGurk, WA LHMU

Tel:08 9388 5400

For further information

Contact:	Andrew Casey
Union:	Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union
Phone:	8204 7206
Fax:	92821 4480
Email:	andrewc@lhmu.org.au
WWW:	http://www.lhmu.org.au/

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