Aged Care Workers to Wait Until 2025 for Pay Rise Staggered by Fair Work Commission

The Fair Work Commission has announced that the long-awaited pay rise for aged care workers will be delayed until the beginning of 2025. The decision, revealed in Stage 3 of the aged care determination, outlines a phased approach with a 50% hike effective from January 1, 2025, and the remaining 50% from October 1, 2025. Direct care workers will see their increase staggered while indirect care workers will receive their entire pay raise in full.

In response to the decision, Roald Versteeg, the general manager of policy and advocacy at the Aged & Community Care Providers Association, acknowledged the disappointment felt by workers and the frustration experienced by their employers. He stated that the government cited inability to provide full funding until 2025, leading to the phased implementation as directed by the Commission.

Gerard Hayes, the national president of the Health Services Union, expressed his discontent with the delayed timeline, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the wage discrepancies in the aged care sector. Despite the Commission’s decision to accelerate the roll-out to January 2025 from the initial government proposal of 2026, Hayes urged for swifter action, aligning with the HSU’s call for full implementation by June 30, 2024.

On the other hand, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, represented by Annie Butler, advocated for an immediate implementation of the pay rise for all aged care employees. Butler highlighted the financial burden shouldered by aged care workers and the necessity for fair compensation.

Meanwhile, the Aged & Community Care Providers Association supported the government’s phased approach to the wage hikes, with CEO Tom Symondson emphasizing the need for tied funding to the implementation date. The Commission’s ruling saw non-direct residential care workers receiving a 3 to 7% increase, while direct care workers were granted up to 28%, inclusive of the 15% increment previously awarded.

The decision was met with mixed reactions as stakeholders eagerly await further deliberations on pay increases for enrolled nurses, registered nurses, and nurse practitioners in aged care. The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation voiced concerns over the lingering process and expressed hope for a swift resolution to provide overdue wage adjustments for nurses in the aged care sector.