Australia facing a work/care collision; more support needed, say unions

11 August 2008

Australia is facing a work/care collision in the near future unless more assistance is provided to help workers who care for elderly or disabled relatives balance their job and family commitments.

Unions have called for the introduction of more flexible working hours and improved carers leave to allow workers who look after elderly, chronically ill, disabled or school-aged relatives to avoid having to choose between their job and family.

The ACTU says that providing this support will have positive economic impact because if carers are unable to participate in the paid workforce, Australia will lose a labour supply of skilled and experienced workers in the prime of their careers.

The ACTU will appear at a public hearing for the Better Care for our Carers Parliamentary inquiry in Melbourne tomorrow (Tuesday, 12 August) at 10.15am.

The hearings will be held in K Room, Level 1, Parliament House, Spring Street.

“Australia is starting to make some progress towards helping parents of young, pre-school aged children balance a fulfilling working life with their family responsibilities through unpaid parental leave,” says ACTU President Sharan Burrow.

“Paid maternity leave will cement these improvements. But the work-family crunch for carers looms as just as big an issue.

“There are about 2.6 million Australians who are carers of over one million people with a disability or frailty.

“The majority of these carers are employed or would like to be employed, but huge numbers are forced to resign from paid work or change jobs as a result of their caring role.

“With the trend to move away from residential care to home based care, there will be a significant increase in the reliance on unpaid, informal care provided by family members.

“There is a possibility that, without further assistance, informal carers may become unwilling or unable to afford to care for others at the expense of paid work. And that would be a loss for our national economy.”

In its submission to the Better Care for our Carers Parliamentary inquiry, the ACTU has recommended improvements including the right to paid carer’s leave, flexible working hours, and a capacity for workers to take temporary leave to care for a terminally ill relative.

Ms Burrow said a call from Carers Australia for up to two years of unpaid leave to be available to family carers was worthy of further discussion.