The Aged Care Award 2010 (The Award) covers certain employees and employers in the aged care industry (a definition of which is in The Award). Valeria is an aged care worker who migrated to Australia seven years ago for the purpose of finding work. Valeria and her husband Vincent have two small children and live in a rented home in Newcastle, NSW. Valeria works full-time for a medium

sized aged care home located in Maitland, NSW, about a 35-minute drive from Valeria's home. Vincent works as a security guard. A recent report1 indicates that: A qualified aged care worker can expect to earn around $773 after tax per week. An aged care worker in a typical two-parent household would have $34 of disposable income each week after expenses.

Valeria decides to approach management on behalf of her colleagues to ask for a pay increase for all aged care workers at the home. The employer says: "I understand you want more, but we just can't afford it".

Assume Valeria is employed by a national system employer and is covered by the Fair Work Act 2009. What is the process that Valeria and her colleagues should follow to bargain for an enterprise agreement? What practical impediments might they encounter?