Whilst ACCPA welcomes today’s decision by the Fair Work Commission to increase aged care worker salaries, we are extremely concerned that they have chosen not to align the pay-rises with government funding.
Increases to salaries are sorely needed, but so is matched funding. As we have clearly stated, time and again, our sector is in financial crisis and cannot afford unfunded pay rises of this scale.
To date, the government has stated that it would fund ten per cent of the pay rise from 1 July 2023 and an additional five per cent from 1 July 2024.
ACCPA CEO Tom Symondson said that now that the Fair Work Commission has decided to implement the pay-rise in one go, it is critical that Government revisits its position on funding.
“With seven out of every ten aged care providers already losing an average of $21 per resident per day, this decision of the Commission changes everything,” Mr Symondson says.
“We have publicly supported the need for significant pay-rises for our workforce, and fully supported the government’s 2022 election commitment to fully fund them. However, this must not be at the costs of our sector’s ability to deliver care to older Australians.
“We continue to engage with the Government to find a workable solution.”
