The federal government has asked the Fair Work Commission to extend its pay rise offer to head chefs and cooks, and recreational activities officers.
In a submission to the FWC regarding the aged care work value case, the Commonwealth said it would commit to also including head chefs and cooks, and recreational activities officers in the 15-per-cent pay rise going to direct care workers.
The submission, dated 10 February, reads: “The Commonwealth confirms that its funding commitment … extends to any decision of the commission regarding funding increases for head chefs, cooks and RAOs. The Commonwealth acknowledges that parties have since conferred and propose that these workers receive the 15 per cent interim increase at the same time as direct care workers.”
The move follows widespread criticism from peaks, unions and other stakeholders over the FWC’s decision – which had received Commonwealth support – to only offer nurses and personal care workers the wage increase.
As Australian Ageing Agenda reported last month, in a joint submission to the FWC on 12 January the Aged & Community Care Providers Association and employer advocacy organisation Australian Business Industrial called for the pay rise to include head chefs and cooks, and RAOs “on the basis that the increase is to be funded by the Commonwealth.”
These roles, make up a very small cohort of the aged care workforce, read the submission, “and in regard to the RAOs are firmly aligned to direct care employees in how they work directly with consumers.”
Speaking to AAA in November – when the FWC announced the pay offer – Health Services Union Gerard Hayes said aged care must be viewed as a holistic industry. “It’s got a complementary workforce that doesn’t work in isolation. So to address direct care, and not other important factors of aged care, I don’t think it’s something that should be progressed along those lines. It should be all parties in aged care addressed.”
The Aged Care Workforce Industry Council has also backed calls for the pay deal to apply to all aged care workers, no matter their role. “It is not possible to provide the kind of care we want and in fact need for our parents, our partner, or ourselves, if we do not recognise, in financial terms, the value of the work that is delivered by the broad suite of these essential workers,” said ACWIC chair Libby Lyons in a statement.
“Without an adequate workforce in all the roles that support the physical, social and emotional wellbeing of older people, we simply cannot meet the needs of our ageing population.” This should include not only kitchen staff, said Ms Lyons, but laundry and administrative staff too.
The FWC’s pay offer has also been widely criticised by the aged care workforce for being far lower than the 25 per cent the unions had originally asked for, and for making them wait for 18 months before they receive the full amount – the pay rise is being phased in over two stages: 10 per cent from 1 July and the remaining 5 per cent 12 months later.
Workers have their say
In a submission made to the FWC by the United Workers Union on 9 February, more than 1,000 aged care workers told the commission exactly what it was they wanted: the pay rise to be paid in full – immediately, and for everyone working in the sector to receive the raise.
“Fruit pickers are getting more money than me.”
“We need that 15 per cent pay rise today – not next year, the year after today, our job as an aged care worker is a stressful, thankless and sometimes heart-breaking job,” said Janine. “We work damned hard – from carers to kitchen to laundry. Please do the right thing to keep people interested in aged care – give us our 15 per cent now.”
Alfred told the FWC the pay rise is long overdue: “We need the increase now.”
Susan also told the FWC the wage hike was needed asap: “We need a pay correction immediately to combat the cost-of-living increases.”
“I love my job, but I can’t continue like this.”
Tamara told the FWC it was difficult to get by on her current wage. “At the moment I’m having to work 80-plus hours a fortnight just to make ends meet. I have four children who I hardly see because I have to work to get the overtime to get a decent pay check … Fruit pickers are getting more money than me. This is not fair. I love my job, but I can’t continue like this.”
Sue-Anne told the FWC she was unable to support her family on her wage. “Some weeks I don’t know how I even put food on the table,” she said. “We need the whole 15 per cent and we need it now before we lose everything and are living on the street.”
Carly echoed the comment. “What we are earning isn’t enough to get us through the fortnight,” she said. “We need the pay rise now and all at once for all aged care workers.”
“We have had enough.”
Kitchen worker Steve asked the FWC why the pay rise wasn’t being offered to all workers across the sector. “Feels like Fair Work thinks aged care is all run by carers. We all are short-staffed in all areas. I’m extremely disappointed in Fair Work and the government. This is why so many people in other non-direct roles are leaving aged care because we have had enough.”
Andrea asked the decision-makers at the FWC to spend time in her shoes. “You need to come and work a week in our aged care [facility] and see what we do for the low wages we get,” she said. “If it wasn’t for the fact that I love my job I would leave. We are so short-staffed a lot of us are doing 12-hour shifts. People don’t want to work in aged care because the money is terrible.”
“We have waited long enough.”
After more than a decade working in aged care, Linda said she was thinking of quitting the sector. “We have waited long enough. I’ve been a carer for over 11 years and would consider leaving the industry if the pay rise doesn’t happen soon.”
No doubt echoing the sentiments of many of her fellow aged care workers, Sandra told the FWC she had run out of patience. “We all work extremely hard and deserve our pay rise now – not next year. We have waited long enough.”
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The 9th consecutive interest rate increase is set to happen, and more being talked about, and aged care workers on some of the lowest wages in the country… we are increasingly likely to be at risk of losing our homes, not only through rate rises directly for those on loans, but also rent rises through unscrupulous, greedy landlords!
We NEED a pay rise NOW!!!
How are we to afford to keep a roof over our heads and food on our tables and be in a mentally healthy place to care for other, even more vulnerable, people???
Facilities cannot operate without cleaners, administration and maintenance staff, together with the RAOs and carers and cooks, we ALL deserve a living wage.
This is ludicrous.
We ALL work hard in this sector and we deserve better pay!
The politicians need a refresher on the definition of “interim” meaning in the meantime, while we’re waiting. Well THIS is the meantime and we are waiting.
Aged care workers form relationships with the people we care for, we learn about their families, their careers, their diets, their bowel movements and invariably, because they’re old and in poor health, we watch those people we’ve learned to love die. Then the direct care workers have to pack up their rooms and clean their bodies for the funeral homes to come and take those residents away.
Our residents become family to us, some we love and some are sadly abusive towards us; we can be bitten, punched, spat on, racially vilified and sexually harassed all in a day’s work.
Aged care can be physically and emotionally draining, we shouldn’t have to deal with the added stress of choosing between losing our home to interest rate hikes or moving to another industry to pay the bills.
I am a clearer in age care I go in all the rooms when they are sick clean when they are in the rooms when they have covld take the covid ppe to the bins we have to do all the work on the computer every year which 80% is not to do with cleaning /laundry more to do with psw if there was no cleaners in agecare they would shut down
Im a chef in age care .I was told today
We are not receiving this pay rise apparently it’s only for the senior chef.? We are all chefs we don’t have a head chef we all do either day or night.we are in charge at that time but NO
We are not entitled how the hell do they work that out.
I’m being paid a measly dollar more than the unqualified kitchen hand. Honestly I want to scream.
I’m very disappointed in the government,
Without the cleaners an age care facility cannot function properly, everyone treats cleaners like the lowest workers. A cleaner becomes everything to the age care residents ,because somedays we are the only staff they see to help them out.
Disgrace politicians.
Are age care workers that work in kitchen as kitchen hands, and staff that work in the laundry and cleaners, going to get a pay rise. I have been a kitchen hand for just over 12 years, and am waiting to see whether the government has any respect for the workers that also are needed for a facility to run in a professional manner.
I work for a large aged care provider as Second Chef in a kitchen feeding 80 residents it’s just the two of us cooking during the week and a cook on the weekends ,
We have seen a turn around of 50% of our staff in six months alone with serving staff leaving for better paid less understaffed and less stressful workloads.
When are We (the cooks ,chefs , cleaners , maintenance , receptionists actually going to see some meaningful progress regarding remuneration,
My wage as second chef is no more than I could earn as a commis chef in a club or cafe (commis chef = junior position)
It seems like we are being forgotten about, meanwhile the positions that have become vacant are largely being filled by less skilled staff usually people who have just finished an international course trying to gain permanent residency , we are not stupid we can see what’s going on and come the next election this will not be forgotten.
Also don’t think for a minute the families , the residents and us staff who often fill the void where families can’t are oblivious to what’s happening, catering cleaning and reception are very much involved and residents are quick to notice a change in staff or that things are not being achieved as they should due to understaffing , working excess shifts & being tired or running around trying to find non existent nursing staff.
As for the Unions – don’t forget who pays your wages. You Ain’t making enough of a noise about this .
We are the downtrodden minority put your shoulder to the wheel and get this moving faster or at least keep us in the loop of current proposals.
Your soul purpose is to fight for us don’t forget that.