Sixty-five-year-old widow Trish McKillop has worked more than 23 years at a Bupa care home in Auckland — but she is preparing to walk away if the profitable company goes ahead with a proposed cut to hours.
So she is joining a protest hīkoi next Tuesday, April 1, in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, where seven Bupa care homes are affected. Bupa’s is proposing cuts to 17 of its 40 aged-care homes around New Zealand and will announced its decision on April 2.
‘It’s going to affect the workers being able to put food on the table.’
An NZNO delegate, McKillop said it meant many workers were losing up to eight hours a week — and sometimes more.
Safer age care — training
NZNO is running Age Safe training in Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton and Christchurch for its delegates, nurses and health-care assistants working in aged care, as part of a campaign for better staffing.
NZNO industrial advisor Louisa Jones said the training was focused on turning around the staffing issues in the aged care sector, for worker health and safety and to be able to deliver quality care for residents.
So far, delegates have shared deeply important experiences with one another about the current understaffing, and discussed a vision and plan for the future.
Details can be found on the Age Safe Facebook and Instagram pages or Age Safe website.
“The biggest thing for people is the loss of their hours. It’s hit the morale of the staff — a lot of people are worried whether they’re going to have a job,” McKillop told Kaitiaki. “It’s going to affect the workers being able to put food on the table.”
The proposed changes would also see workers forced to rotate their shifts every six weeks, making it impossible for many workers with young families to juggle childcare, said McKillop, an NZNO delegate.
‘I’m angry Bupa wants to do this proposal and we workers are supposed to just accept it – and they keep making all those millions while we just roll over.’
“There are also lots of young mums who need to go and pick up their children at 3pm — daycare doesn’t go till 11pm at night,” she said. “It’s not just about the loss of hours and money, it’s the impact on people’s lives.”
McKillop, too, would no longer be able to help her own children with childcare through the week if the changes went ahead — which would be a deal breaker for her.
“If it happens, I probably will just go on my pension and just survive. I’d have to give up my job that I actually love.”
She enjoyed looking after residents and families, often towards the end of a person’s life.
“Caregiving is not all about taking them to the toilet, it’s the whole thing of looking after a human being, and their spiritual side.”
McKillop said she felt angry at being put in this position after so many years of loyal service to Bupa.
“I’m angry because it’s going to affect my whole family life, then I’m forced to throw the job I’ve actually given over 23 years to, because I have to help my grandchildren,” she said.
“I’m angry Bupa wants to do this proposal and we workers are supposed to just accept it – and they keep making all those millions while we just roll over.”
Business Desk NZ reported last year that Bupa’s operating profit had nearly tripled after tax to just under $12 million in the year to December 2023.
‘I’m fighting for other staff, who have family and little ones to deal with.’
Health-care assistants and NZNO delegates Iliui Tuala and Ngatamariki Miimetua have worked at Bupa’s Glenburn home in New Lynn, Auckland, for 13 and 30 years respectively. They endured cuts to worker hours last June and are taking to the picket lines to stop any more.
“It’s not affecting me but I’m fighting for other staff, who have family and little ones to deal with,” Tuala told Kaitiaki. “We want more hours — it’s not enough income for families and doesn’t work with family routines too.”
Miimetua said many staff had quit last year after the cuts shaved $100 to $200 off their weekly pay packet. “It was scary — some people lost a lot of money to pay their bills and their earnings went down.”
‘We want more hours — it’s not enough income for families and doesn’t work with family routines too.’
She has also been out picketing this month and will be on next week’s hīkoi to try and stop anymore cuts. “We want some changes but [the bosses] aren’t listening.”
Bupa has cited flexibility and financial viability as its rationale for the cuts. However, NZNO says its members are concerned about the impact on residents as well as a loss in take-home pay for the workers who care for them.
A Bupa spokesperson said the organisation had been consulting on its proposal, which it took “very seriously” and was currently reviewing feedback.
‘I’d have to give up my job that I actually love.’
“Where we have completed consultation, we have incorporated changes based on the feedback from our people. When we talk with our people about the final decision, we will include the feedback.”
‘Caregiving is not all about taking them to the toilet, it’s the whole thing of looking after a human being, and their spiritual side.’
NZNO organiser Lewis Wheatley said the feedback had been primarily through collective action such as picketing and a petition from workers.
See also: :’They’ve got no heart for people‘.
