United Voice

The LHMU’s historic application was lodged with Fair Work Australia in Sydney on Monday. It is the first time low paid workers in Australia have been able to apply to an independent arbiter like Fair Work Australia to help them bargain with employers across a whole industry.
It is also the latest step in the Fair Share For Aged Care campaign which aims to improve the industry by achieving fairer wages for aged care workers and pushing for fair staffing to resident ratios.

It is hoped the use of the low paid bargaining stream will be a big step forward for workers like Maureen Clements, a shift supervisor at a WA home and an LHMU delegate. She said she enjoyed her job but found it very demanding physically.
“Staffing levels are too low and often it’s too hard,” she added.
“Many aged care workers can’t make a healthy living unless they work nights, on weekends or juggle two jobs. It shouldn’t be like this.”
Delegates like Maureen are hoping the low paid bargaining stream will allow them to negotiate one new agreement with hundreds of residential aged care providers across three states and two territories in Australia.
Under the modern award, pay rates for aged care workers range from just $15.92 per hour for support staff to $18.68 per hour for qualified supervisors. As a result, dedicated staff are leaving the industry because they can’t afford to stay.
Research indicates that aged care workers should receive increases of between $8 and $10 per hour so that they have parity with male dominated industries where workers hold equivalent positions.
Dave Kelly, LHMU Branch Secretary said: “We also want to take the claim for better wages and conditions one step higher.

“Employers say they are not funded enough to pay aged care workers better wages. This funding comes from the federal government so if we are going to get substantial increases then we are going to have to get them to the table and get them to up their funding.
“This is what the low paid bargaining stream allows for. The commissioners from Fair Work Australia can make an order to ensure any third parties with an interest in a wage issue must also be at bargaining.
“We also want any extra money from the federal government to be dedicated to wages because if you give a block of money to an employer, it often does not go on wages.
“The aged care measures announced in the federal budget are a good start towards achieving our goals in aged care. It includes provision for research into staff/resident ratios in aged care homes and extra money for the training of aged care workers.
“We’re ready to work with the federal government and with providers on taking the steps necessary to retain workers in this stressed sector.”
Aged care delegates will be meeting with CEOs from the aged care sector to ask them to become Fair Share For Aged Care providers from Wednesday, May 19 onwards.