Residents' families back home's striking caregivers | Manawatu-Wanganui News | Local News in Manawatu-Wanganui

Families of residents swung in behind the striking caregivers of the Home of Compassion yesterday, voicing their support for the people they say are like family, and the beating heart of the home.

It was also those families who were up at the St John's Hill home taking care of their family members.

Seventy members of the Service and Food Workers' Union and NZ Nurses' Organisation went on a 24-hour strike, braving the rain at a picket at the entrance to the home.

They have been negotiating with the home's board for the 5 per cent pay rise the Government gave the industry in July last year. The home's management had been restructuring so had not met with the union until November last year, SFWU organiser Sam Jones said.

In December, caregivers and nurses were offered 5 per cent but with the removal of a long service leave provision for new employees. A week ago the negotiators were offered 3 per cent with the leave clause reinstated.

Caregivers and delgates Anne Rennett (NZNO) and Denise Freeman (SFWU) said the Whanganui DHB received the extra funding from the Government, which had been handed on to the Home of Compassion.

Yesterday afternoon Mr Jones had walked through the home
 and he claimed essential services like the cleaning was not done and some people who got up for the day were left in bed.

Jim Martin's wife has been at the home for 14 years, the longest time of all the residents, and said the caregivers "that look after my good lady" were paid a pittance.

"They go the extra mile in their care of the residents and do the work that many people could not do.".

They took home garments that needed mending, and went in their time to buy any item the resident may require. They also advised the families what they needed to buy.

He said the home had lost so many good people in the past few months and over the years he had seen the soul go out of the home.

Yesterday he saw some staff, volunteers and people he had never seen before, working in the home.

In the restructuring the nurse manager had been replaced by an executive manager and a clinical nurse, he said.

The Home of Compassion is a registered company run by a board of directors chaired by Monty Arnott.

Mr Arnott told the Chronicle yesterday that the board was waiting for the end of the strike action and would then consider the results of last week's meeting it had with union negotiators.

He said safe care for the residents was their priority and nursing management and volunteers were doing the non-nursing care.