UnitingCare Australia today acknowledges the Fair Work Commission’s decision on the Stage 3 Work Value case for the aged care industry.
“We welcome the various increases for direct care workers which in some cases go well above the interim 15% decision from last year. This recognises the invaluable work they do every day in caring for older Australians,” said UnitingCare Australia National Director, Claerwen Little.
“We have advocated strongly for a 25% increase for all aged care workers and are pleased with this decision,” said Ms Little.
However, indirect care workers have been left behind with only a 3% increase for most – 6.96% at best – a disappointing outcome for thousands who work tirelessly as part of aged care teams across the country.
“Given their already low wages and the cost-of-living crisis we are all facing, we will continue to contribute to the Fair Work Commission’s processes for these workers,” said Ms Little.
We commend the Government for their commitment to older Australians, aged care workers, and the dedicated providers who work tirelessly to deliver services. We recognise the Government’s commitment to fully fund the increase, including all on-costs and leave entitlements, and look forward to this increase coming into effect from 1 July 2024.
About UnitingCare Australia
UnitingCare Australia is the national body for the Uniting Church’s community services, the
largest social services network in Australia. The UnitingCare network supports 1.4 million
people every year across 1,600 sites in urban, rural, and remote communities, with over
50,000 staff and 30,000 volunteers. It is the largest network of not-for-profit aged care
providers nationally, supporting 97,000 older people, comprising 8.5% of total residential
beds and 10% of Home Care Packages nationally. Over 80% of our workforce and 60% of
our services recipients are women.
