Union officials and members gathered at Parliament on Thursday to hand over nearly 11,000 signed charters asking the Government to ensure quality care for older New Zealanders.
The New Zealand Nurse's Union and the Service and Food Worker's Union say the number of people over the age of 65 will double by 2050.
The Nurse's Association campaign adviser says aged care workers deserve to be acknowledged for the difficult and specialised job they do.
Huia Welton says their charter is about safe staffing and ensuring that taxpayer dollars go specifically to the sector, not to lining the pockets of shareholders.
Ms Welton says pay parity is also an issue, with most residential caregivers paid far less than those in the public health system.
