Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now we know that union's NT have slammed the government's
(00:02):
decision to scrap portable long service leave for social community,
aged care workers, childcare educators and disability sector workers, warning
that the move is going to exasperate workforce retention issues
and send the Northern Territory backwards compared to other states
and territories. Now we spoke about this last week, but
(00:23):
we know that this is indeed going to be happening
in Parliament this week. And Cath Hatcher, Union's NT president
and also head of the Nursing and Midwiffree Union for
the Northern Territory. She said the decision represents a direct
attack on thousands of hard working professionals and she joins
me on the line right now. Good morning to you, Kath.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Good morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Lovely to have you on the show. Kath. Why is
this a bad move by the Northern Territory government.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Well, I think it's a disgraces of the dedicated workers
in this area, which the vast majority are women.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
And so and talk us through. You know what it's
going to mean for those females in these roles.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Well, we already know that women come out at retirement
age lacking in their super about twenty eight percent less
compared to their male counterparts, because they've had time off
(01:39):
with their care being as a mother, they may have
been a carer for their elderly parents, and also you know,
they haven't been able to get superannuation whilst they're on
parental leave or carers leave for their parents. And on average,
(02:02):
women are twenty eight percent less with their superannuation. And
now if they're staying in the same career career path
and if they stay with the same employer, you know
this isn't an issue. But this portable long service leave
(02:22):
particularly happens in other states and territories and it allows
workers to continue to work in those areas of expertise
to accumulate their long service leave entitlement based upon their
continuous service in an industry rather than with a single employer.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Do we have any idea how many territorians this is
going to impact.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
I don't know specifics, no, but I would suspect that
it'd be many thousands of workers in the child care,
age care workers, social community disability sector workers, etc. So
you know this is only going to benefit the employers.
So congratulations, Lea Fanochiaro and her government that she is
(03:18):
bending backwards for the employer of the territory and for
workers that who will wish to stay in the same sector,
they will need to stay with the same employer for
greater than seven to ten years to be able to
get their long service leave entitlements.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Cas, I mean, what do you say though to the
argument that the Northern Territory government. I mean, they can't
make promises that they can't afford.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
But you know, as a good employer, which I am
one of. Everyone who's an employer does a budget every
year year and they work out how many staff they
need to cover the facility, and they work out their
leave entitlements, and you know, a good employer should be
(04:14):
putting away their long service leave entitlements, which is one
point three weeks of pay. They should be putting that
aside for their up and coming either they leave after
seven completed years and they can have their long service
leave entitlements paid out on a pro rata basis if
(04:38):
they're going to retire or leave that employer, or if
they stay longer than ten years, they can have their
entitlements paid out in monetary as well as time off circumstances,
they can have their twelve leegue weeks long service leave,
(04:59):
or they can take it at half pay.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
So I guess what you're saying is the employer should
be better prepared for us.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Well, they should always be prepared for someone who's working
in their facility to take long service leaves or to
take their annual leave, holiday, pay leave entitlements. They need
to budget that include that into their budget. And I
don't see what the problem is with, you know, with
(05:31):
getting rid of this. This is only going to discriminate
those working in the same sector, but choosing to work
for different employers. It's the employer is not going to
basically shouldn't be seen any different. They should be budgeting
(05:55):
that into their their everyday yearly budget.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
All right, Cas, I do want to ask you as well. Obviously,
last time you and I spoke, we've spoken quite extensively
about the situation at the Darwin Private Hospital when it
comes to the maternity ward. Where are things that at
the moment from your perspective, how are nurses and midwives going.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Those that are working at the private hospital, they've obviously
you know that they've had that closure extended. So I
do know that it is about five maybe six that
are going to move across and be employed at Ryal
(06:40):
Darwin Hospital, and we're making sure that all their entitlements,
including their long service leave, is recognized. So at the moment,
their long service leave isn't recognized because it's going from
one private employer to public employer. But we're negotiating with
(07:04):
the CEE of the Department of Health, Chris Hosking, and
the Commissioner for Public Employment to have a determination or
change of determination so it will include from Healthscope private
hospital and that will be recognized, so that's number one,
and that all their other entitlements will be recognized as well.
(07:27):
So we've just had a meeting with HR of World
Darwin Well Sorry Department of Health this morning and they
were all looking into those leave entitlements transferring across. There
are going to be some of those staff at the
private hospital that will have early retirement, and there are
(07:51):
others that we are unsure of or they're unsure of
of what they're going to do or whether they're going
to be redeployed within the private hospital because they are
a dual registration there and a midwife. Then they could
be redeployed in other areas of the private So they're
(08:12):
I'm sure at the moment still what they're going to do.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
So cas how many nurses and midwives are we talking
here for the Darwin Private Maternity.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Ward approximately twelve to fourteen permanent staff and about ten
casual staff.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Okay, and in terms of you know, like that redeployment
or if they are going to work at Royal Darwin Hospital,
so just talk us through that.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
So they're trying to make the transition if they do
wish to go across to the Department of Health at
work at Royal Darwin Hospital or anywhere else for the
Department of Health. They're trying to make that transition as
smooth as possible and that they will take all their
entitlements with them and they will get that support, you know,
(09:10):
starting in a new area of work.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
All right, So I suppose, you know, the the question
to ask is can more be done for those staff?
I mean, we are at a difficult situation, I suppose,
and it has been really for quite some time. We've
spoken a lot about the you know, the mums or
the expectant mums that are no longer going to be
able to have their bubbs there. Do you think that
(09:35):
more can be done.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
I'm in negotiations with with Luke Hos Gosling at the moment,
Sorry Luke Gosling, and I'm hoping to get something extra
from the federal government that We'll have to watch that space,
all right, and I'll let you know when I've got
more information.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
That'd be wonderful. Cath, I always appreciate your time. Thank
you so much for joining me on the show this morning.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Are you welcome, Thank you, thank you.
Now we know that union's NT have slammed the government's
(00:02):
decision to scrap portable long service leave for social community,
aged care workers, childcare educators and disability sector workers, warning
that the move is going to exasperate workforce retention issues
and send the Northern Territory backwards compared to other states
and territories. Now we spoke about this last week, but
(00:23):
we know that this is indeed going to be happening
in Parliament this week. And Cath Hatcher, Union's NT president
and also head of the Nursing and Midwiffree Union for
the Northern Territory. She said the decision represents a direct
attack on thousands of hard working professionals and she joins
me on the line right now. Good morning to you, Kath.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Good morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Lovely to have you on the show. Kath. Why is
this a bad move by the Northern Territory government.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Well, I think it's a disgraces of the dedicated workers
in this area, which the vast majority are women.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
And so and talk us through. You know what it's
going to mean for those females in these roles.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Well, we already know that women come out at retirement
age lacking in their super about twenty eight percent less
compared to their male counterparts, because they've had time off
(01:39):
with their care being as a mother, they may have
been a carer for their elderly parents, and also you know,
they haven't been able to get superannuation whilst they're on
parental leave or carers leave for their parents. And on average,
(02:02):
women are twenty eight percent less with their superannuation. And
now if they're staying in the same career career path
and if they stay with the same employer, you know
this isn't an issue. But this portable long service leave
(02:22):
particularly happens in other states and territories and it allows
workers to continue to work in those areas of expertise
to accumulate their long service leave entitlement based upon their
continuous service in an industry rather than with a single employer.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Do we have any idea how many territorians this is
going to impact.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
I don't know specifics, no, but I would suspect that
it'd be many thousands of workers in the child care,
age care workers, social community disability sector workers, etc. So
you know this is only going to benefit the employers.
So congratulations, Lea Fanochiaro and her government that she is
(03:18):
bending backwards for the employer of the territory and for
workers that who will wish to stay in the same sector,
they will need to stay with the same employer for
greater than seven to ten years to be able to
get their long service leave entitlements.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Cas, I mean, what do you say though to the
argument that the Northern Territory government. I mean, they can't
make promises that they can't afford.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
But you know, as a good employer, which I am
one of. Everyone who's an employer does a budget every
year year and they work out how many staff they
need to cover the facility, and they work out their
leave entitlements, and you know, a good employer should be
(04:14):
putting away their long service leave entitlements, which is one
point three weeks of pay. They should be putting that
aside for their up and coming either they leave after
seven completed years and they can have their long service
leave entitlements paid out on a pro rata basis if
(04:38):
they're going to retire or leave that employer, or if
they stay longer than ten years, they can have their
entitlements paid out in monetary as well as time off circumstances,
they can have their twelve leegue weeks long service leave,
(04:59):
or they can take it at half pay.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
So I guess what you're saying is the employer should
be better prepared for us.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Well, they should always be prepared for someone who's working
in their facility to take long service leaves or to
take their annual leave, holiday, pay leave entitlements. They need
to budget that include that into their budget. And I
don't see what the problem is with, you know, with
(05:31):
getting rid of this. This is only going to discriminate
those working in the same sector, but choosing to work
for different employers. It's the employer is not going to
basically shouldn't be seen any different. They should be budgeting
(05:55):
that into their their everyday yearly budget.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
All right, Cas, I do want to ask you as well. Obviously,
last time you and I spoke, we've spoken quite extensively
about the situation at the Darwin Private Hospital when it
comes to the maternity ward. Where are things that at
the moment from your perspective, how are nurses and midwives going.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Those that are working at the private hospital, they've obviously
you know that they've had that closure extended. So I
do know that it is about five maybe six that
are going to move across and be employed at Ryal
(06:40):
Darwin Hospital, and we're making sure that all their entitlements,
including their long service leave, is recognized. So at the moment,
their long service leave isn't recognized because it's going from
one private employer to public employer. But we're negotiating with
(07:04):
the CEE of the Department of Health, Chris Hosking, and
the Commissioner for Public Employment to have a determination or
change of determination so it will include from Healthscope private
hospital and that will be recognized, so that's number one,
and that all their other entitlements will be recognized as well.
(07:27):
So we've just had a meeting with HR of World
Darwin Well Sorry Department of Health this morning and they
were all looking into those leave entitlements transferring across. There
are going to be some of those staff at the
private hospital that will have early retirement, and there are
(07:51):
others that we are unsure of or they're unsure of
of what they're going to do or whether they're going
to be redeployed within the private hospital because they are
a dual registration there and a midwife. Then they could
be redeployed in other areas of the private So they're
(08:12):
I'm sure at the moment still what they're going to do.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
So cas how many nurses and midwives are we talking
here for the Darwin Private Maternity.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Ward approximately twelve to fourteen permanent staff and about ten
casual staff.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
Okay, and in terms of you know, like that redeployment
or if they are going to work at Royal Darwin Hospital,
so just talk us through that.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
So they're trying to make the transition if they do
wish to go across to the Department of Health at
work at Royal Darwin Hospital or anywhere else for the
Department of Health. They're trying to make that transition as
smooth as possible and that they will take all their
entitlements with them and they will get that support, you know,
(09:10):
starting in a new area of work.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
All right, So I suppose, you know, the the question
to ask is can more be done for those staff?
I mean, we are at a difficult situation, I suppose,
and it has been really for quite some time. We've
spoken a lot about the you know, the mums or
the expectant mums that are no longer going to be
able to have their bubbs there. Do you think that
(09:35):
more can be done.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
I'm in negotiations with with Luke Hos Gosling at the moment,
Sorry Luke Gosling, and I'm hoping to get something extra
from the federal government that We'll have to watch that space,
all right, and I'll let you know when I've got
more information.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
That'd be wonderful. Cath, I always appreciate your time. Thank
you so much for joining me on the show this morning.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Are you welcome, Thank you, thank you.
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