Salary Increases Hit Welfare Organisations
2 April 2002 at 1:04 pm
Already over-stretched community services are considering radical changes to their programs and are even considering closing down –just to meet national salary increases!
Carers NSW have warned of desperate times ahead for family carers when as many as 230 essential community services make their cutbacks or shut their doors on programs such as respite care for the disabled and aged, meals on wheels, home help, social support, community transport and residential services.
The Federal Government has announced that it will not meet the recent pay increase in the Social and Community Services Award (SACS) Carers NSW says a vast majority of community and welfare services in NSW alone operate under this award.
The salary increase relates to overtime payments where staff who would normally receive double-time for up to four hours beyond a twelve hour shift now will receive triple time payments.
The president of Carers NSW says the result is that many services will make dramatic changes to meet the costs and the burden will fall to the families who most need these services.
Gilmore says the increase comes at a time when according to the Australian Council of Social Services, there has been a 7% increase in the number of people requiring community services (January to June 2001).
She described the stance by the Federal Government as unreasonable.
Is your organisation affected by the salary increases. Why not let us know your story by joining our on-line Forum at probonoaustralia.com.au.
