Kiama Municipal Council’s decision to sell its Blue Haven Illawarra Aged Care operation must include water-tight job security guarantees for staff and a continuation of high-quality care for patients.
United Services Union (USU) members working for Blue Haven deliver vital home care services to the Kiama community. Others are employed in administration.
“There remains a major need for aged-care services in the local community and this should not be downgraded as a result of Kiama Municipal Council’s financial position,” said USU manager Rudi Oppitz.
“USU members are concerned about their jobs and while the Council is doing everything it can to walk away from the financial debacle it has presided over at Blue Haven, it is important that the job security guarantees the Council proposes to attach to the sale are honoured in full.”
“Any attempts to reduce services to the ageing community in the Kiama region will be unacceptable to hard working USU members who genuinely care for their clients and don’t want to see any reduction in service delivery.”
“It is disappointing and shameful that the Blue Haven business has been left in its current financial state.”
“We will be reminding Kiama Municipal Council that as this sale proceeds, we will fight for the right of employees wishing to remain with the Council. They should not be dumped into a sale process merely because the Council had previously decided to shift their employment from the Council to the aged care business the Council owns.”
Mr Oppitz said the aged-care needs of local community and the rights of employees were important considerations and the Council should continue delivering services to the community with its current dedicated workforce.
