15% pay increase welcomed — but more is needed

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) has welcomed the Fair Work Commission’s (FWC) 15% interim pay increase in minimum wages for underpaid aged care nurses and care workers. The ANMF said it recognises the undervaluation of employees in aged care — but more needs to be done to retain and recruit staff to the under-resourced sector.

In handing down its interim decision, the FWC deemed the pay rise was “plainly justified by work value reasons” and applies to Registered Nurses, Enrolled Nurses, Assistants in Nursing and Personal Care Workers working in aged care under the Nurses Award, Aged Care Award and SCHADS Award.

ANMF Assistant Federal Secretary Lori-Anne Sharp said, “The ANMF and its members will continue to fight to lift wages further in the aged care sector. Aged care workers are predominately female and some of the lowest-paid workers in the country. The tide is turning but there is still much work to be done.”

“Whilst the ANMF had sought a 25% increase to minimum rates across the board for all relevant aged care employees, this interim pay increase now paves the way for us to keep advocating to get the very best wages aged care workers deserve.

“The ANMF acknowledges its many members who provided witness statements and gave evidence in support of the FWC case. We could not have achieved this outcome without the powerful and determined voices of ANMF members,” Sharp added.

The ANMF said that it is pleased that the Full Bench of the FWC made it clear that the 15% increase does not necessarily exhaust the extent of the increase justified by work value reasons in respect of direct care aged care employees. Whether any further increase is justified will be the subject of submissions in Stage 3 of these proceedings.

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