Aged care workers set to strike

Industrial action in the aged care sector will ramp up tomorrow, with workers from Carinya of Bicton aged care facilities set to walk off the job in protest of a "paltry" pay and conditions offer.

The strike comes after Carinya offered its most experienced workers a pay rise the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union says amounts to 26c by 2013, with entitlements to five weeks of annual leave, one less each year than offered to the majority of aged care workers in Western Australia.

LHMU assistant secretary Carolyn Smith said the workers were seeking a fairer deal that would bring them in line with the rest of the industry.

"The decision to take industrial action has not been an easy one for these members because residents are always the top priority for them," Ms Smith said.

"This is the absolute last resort after months of frustrating negotiations and two years without a pay rise.

"They feel they must take a stand for fairer wages and conditions because ultimately this will have great benefit for the people they care for.

"If they treated their staff better, this aged care facility would find it has a better chance of retaining experienced and highly-skilled workers, which ultimately will improve the care of and the day-to-day lives of the residents.

Ms Smith added that the LMHU believed the workers deserved more than what Carinya of Bicton was currently offering.

"Carinya of Bicton will argue that their offer is a large percentage increase on the modern award rates that a minority of workers there are earning," she said.

"The reality is that their rise is a pittance for the vast majority of workers who are already struggling in this state's two speed economy with huge utility increases."

The LHMU expects at least 40 Carinya employees will be involved in the industrial action tomorrow.