Health Services Union says new benchmark pay rate will make sector competitive with public health system
Aged care workers to get 23% average pay boost as union heralds move as ‘one of the best outcomes’ ever achievedAged care workers will receive an average pay rise of 23% after the Fair Work Commission delivered its decision in a long-running work value case.
“The total wage increase which will be produced by the adoption of this benchmark rate, inclusive of the interim increase, will be 23%,” it said. Minimum pay rates for nurses failed to properly recognise the addition to work value effected by the transformation of nursing into a profession, it found. As a result of Friday’s decision, assistants in nursing will get between 17.9% and 24.5%. Home care workers will get between 15% and 26.1%.
Hayes said the result was in some respects a “mixed bag” and there was “more to do” for support services.