In The Media | 22 June 2016

Hunter disability sector workers to meet in Newcastle over National Disability Insurance Scheme fears

DISABILITY workers will meet in Newcastle on Tuesday night to urge employers not to make “snap decisions” about their pay and conditions ahead of the roll-out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Under the NDIS, about 10,000 state government-employed staff including speech pathologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and case managers will shift to non-government organisations.

The Australian Services Union will host Tuesday’s forum at the Newcastle Trades Hall, and said the disability workers it represents overwhelmingly support the NDIS.

But with the scheme to launch in every state except in Western Australia on July 1, many who work with disabled people say they worry employers will see “an excuse” to cut their pay and conditions.

Source: Newcastle Herald