New South Wales Opal aged care workers have made history, voting overwhelmingly in support of taking industrial action against the country’s largest for-profit aged care provider.

Members of the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) voted 92% in favour of taking protected industrial action against Opal HealthCare, over their unacceptable pay and conditions offer.

Opal has 47 facilities across NSW including 26 sites in metropolitan Sydney, as well as facilities on Tweed Coast, Central West, the Hunter, Riverina, South Coast and Central Coast.

Union members are demanding an 18% pay increase over three years to keep up with rising inflation and cost of living pressures. They also want Opal to meet their mandatory care minutes obligations, as well as increase sick leave.

From today, Opal nurses and carers will vote on the provider’s most recent pay and conditions offer of 9.75% over three years for registered and enrolled nurses, and up to 10.2% over three years for assistants in nursing.

NSWNMA General Secretary, Shaye Candish, applauded members for taking a stand against Opal HealthCare, after they refused to make an offer that valued and respected its workforce.

“Our aged care nurses and carers work under extremely difficult conditions because of sector-wide staffing shortages. They feel like they can’t provide the dedication, attention and quality care residents deserve because of the workplace pressures,” said Ms Candish.

“The current pay offer by Opal does not deliver competitive rates of pay that will help recruit and retain staff, ease extreme workloads and ensure compliance with mandatory care minutes. The offer also doesn’t recognise the current economic climate and financial challenges being experienced by our aged care workers.

“In May, workers voted down Opal’s original offer of 8.25% over three years. This was the first time Opal aged care nurses and carers successfully voted down an enterprise agreement.

“They’ve now made history again, uniting to fight against Australia’s largest for-profit aged care provider by taking protected industrial action. This may involve wearing badges, distributing campaign flyers to residents and their families, overtime bans and work stoppages. Members are planning to kick off industrial action as early as next week.”

Ms Candish said greater accountability and transparency was needed by Opal to meet its mandatory 200 care minutes per resident per day.

“The latest care minutes quarterly data from the Department of Health and Aged Care shows 20 out of Opal’s 47 facilities did not meet their registered nurse care minutes targets, while 42 did not meet their total care minute targets,” said Ms Candish.

“Opal is also not coming to the table on our request for sick leave to be increased to 20 days, and instead insists on sticking to the legal minimum of 10 days per year.”

The voting period for Opal’s latest pay and conditions offer runs until Friday, 23 August.