Social media protest warnings not our policy’ — Bupa
Reports that workers at some sites have been warned off protesting and told by managers that their social media would be checked are not company policy, says Bupa.
The warnings of disciplinary action have meant many staff are scared to be photographed or videoed while protesting.
However, a Bupa spokesperson told Kaitiaki that Bupa supported its people’s right to protest on issues that matter to them and engage on social media.
“We only ask that it is done in a respectful manner that does not impact the care of our residents or their daily lives, nor bring the business into disrepute.”
Staff are also not allowed to wear their uniform or name badge while protesting and any comments to media are made as individuals not Bupa representatives, a letter to staff states.
One of the country’s largest aged-care providers, Bupa — a global company — has proposed restructures at 17 of its 40 care homes across New Zealand. Many include cuts to care hours, with Bupa claiming the need for financial viability.
Yet 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.
In Mutimuti’s workplace — Bupa Sunset in Blockhouse Bay, Auckland, which has about 127 residents — Bupa was proposing to cut 12 nursing roles down to eight; and 45 caregiving roles down to 36.
“We’re already struggling with 12 nurses — and now they’re looking at cutting caregivers also,” Mutimuti told Kaitiaki. “How’re we going to manage? The cares for the residents is going to be very much compromised.”
Mutimuti said many workers didn’t know how they would survive if the cuts went ahead.
“Most people worry about how they’re going to live, how they’re going to survive, how their family’s going to function if they cut the hours down because most people have kids. Some people have lost almost half of the hours, some almost 10 [hours per week]– it makes a lot of difference to people’s income.”
She said Bupa was making good money, yet it was the frontline workers who were being sacrified. “Why can’t they cut the people on the top? They just come down and cut the floor.
“They’ve got no heart for people, they never think of people supporting their families — they just cut, that’s it.”
Protests have been underway at Bupa homes around the country, including Remuera Care and Wattle Downs in Auckland, and Te Whānau in Levin, with more planned this week. Details can be found here.
A hīkoi is also planned for April 1, from 3.30 to 4.30pm, from the Auckland Domain to Bupa head office in Newmarket.
Bupa has given April 2 as its final decision deadline.
A Bupa spokesperson said overall the proposal would increase rostered care hours.
‘Why can’t they cut the people on the top? They just come down and cut the floor.’
Mutimuti was among workers who delivered a petition to Bupa head office late last month over the proposed cuts.
Another large aged-care company, Oceania, was also proposing cuts to worker hours which NZNO calculates could lose them up 25 per cent of take-home pay. Both companies employ about 3000 staff.
The pickets come as NZNO launches its age safe campaign to improve the quality and safety of aged care in Aotearoa.
Its goals are:
- Mandatory minimum staffing levels to allow safe and quality care.
- Transparency to ensure funding is passed on to frontline staff.
- Culturally-safe care to ensure kaumātua receive care that respects their cultural values and practices.
- Empowering workers to advocate for safer workplaces and fair pay.
- Mobilise communities to support aged-care reform.
- Build relationships with like-minded organisations such as Age Concern, Grey Power and Te Ohu community alliance to reform aged care.
Aged-care workers are encouraged to report understaffing incidents here.