ASU applauds increase in disability funding

The Australian Services Union (ASU) and Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union (LHMU) applauds the Rann Government commitment to spend a further 92 million dollars over 4 years on Disability Services to start righting the years of neglect and shoestring funding.

Disability Services organisations should not be expected to run on the smell of an oily rag as these are real people with real needs and real workers meeting those needs.

All the hard work put in by the Government in boosting the level of services to people with a disability will not come to fruition if workers providing those services are not paid a decent wage and provided with secure employment.

ASU Acting Branch Secretary Andy Dennard says:

Retaining skilled workers is an issue when wages are so low and conditions difficult. A high turnover of workers means disabled consumers don't have access to the best and most consistent services for meeting their needs. Justice for people with a disability includes wage justice for workers who provide these valuable services.

The ASU and LHMU are commited to ensuring that people with a disability are the winners and people working in Disability Services are fairly and justly paid. We will now be able to work with Minister Weatherill and the Rann Government to provide real benefits to Disability Services with more optimism and vision.

The ASU and LHMU organise workers who provide care and support to people with dsabilities.