HIGHLIGHTS
- Some aged care workers in Australia are set to benefit from a 15 per cent wage rise.
- The pay increase is based on an interim ruling by the Fair Work Commission.
- Union calls for a 25 per cent jump could still be answered when the Fair Work Commission releases its final report.
Some aged care workers are set to receive a 15 per cent pay rise but unions say the wage increases should be bigger and spread more broadly.
The pay bumps will apply to workers who directly care for people in nursing homes, but won't cover administrative staff or lifestyle workers.
The Fair Work Commission's decision on aged care wages is an interim ruling.
In a released on Friday afternoon, the full bench of the Fair Work Commission said the pay rise is "plainly justified".
The Commission said it also recognised that care work "has been historically undervalued and the reason for that undervaluation is likely to be gender-based".
Union calls for a 25 per cent jump could still be answered when the industrial umpire releases its final report.
Lori-Anne Sharp from the nurses' union said her members would continue to fight for wage rises in aged care.
"This interim pay increase now paves the way for us to keep advocating to get the very best wages aged care workers deserve," she said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed the Fair Work decision and described aged care workers as heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"They deserve more than just our thanks, they deserve a wage rise," he told reporters in Queensland on Saturday.
"Many aged care workers are the friends, the family, of those that they look after.
"They don't do it for the money but so many aged care workers over recent years have told me they can't continue to work in the sector when they can earn more money stacking shelves than they can earn looking after older, vulnerable Australians."
The federal government will foot the bill for the extra pay.
Gerard Hayes from the Health Services Union said the interim wage rise was a reasonable start.
"Fifteen per cent is a down payment but nobody should be mistaken. This will not fix the crisis. We still have massive unfinished business in aged care," he said.
"For the last decade this industry has relied on the goodwill of an exploited, casualised workforce.
"We won't rest until we get some semblance of decency and sustainability into aged care."
LISTEN TO
Who helps the carers to care?
SBS News
14/10/202207:58
Jennifer Westacott from the Business Council of Australia said the pay boost was a win for workers and proved the workplace relations system was working.
She seized on the interim decision to caution against a proposal for multi- employer bargaining, which would allow workers across multiple companies to collectively negotiate.
"This victory for the government, unions and the community calls into question the need for sweeping changes to Australia's bargaining laws," Ms Westacott said.
"We want low paid people to earn more and the awards system is the best place to do it."
