Fair Work Commission's Proposed Changes to SCHADS Award
The Fair Work Commission yesterday released a draft of a new classification structure for the SCHADS Award.
It’s lucky it is not the final decision – because it needs a lot of work. And we need your help to fix it.
What has happened?
The Fair Work Commission yesterday released a draft classification structure for consultation that bizarrely copy/pastes the Aged Care Award classifications and pay rates into the SCHADS Award.
No one – not the ASU, not employers, not the Government – asked for this. We all know that our work is different – our sector is different. The ASU already has a case in the Fair Work Commission to fix our Award that is scheduled for later this year.
What could it mean?
Early analysis shows that members could be worse off if the Aged Care classification system and pay rates are applied in our sector.
- The Aged Care pay rates are lower than the SCHADS Award pay rates.
- The Aged Care Award is focused on qualifications, and you can only progress in pay if you get further qualifications.
While the Fair Work Commission has confirmed that
no one's pay will go backwards, we are still deeply concerned that this proposal risks setting our sector back.
What about the Government?
The Federal Government agrees with the ASU that workers in the community and disability sectors deserve a better pay and classification system.
The Albanese Government have committed to working with the ASU to fix this at Fair Work so that members go forwards, not backwards, in our Award.
What are the next steps?
Right now,
nothing changes. This is just a (bad) proposal from the Fair Work Commission, not a final decision. The Commission has said they will start consultations in May with unions, employers and Governments on their proposal.
We’ll be making a strong case to the Commission about the real-world impact of their proposal – and campaigning to make sure that any new classification system in our Award properly values your work and advances your pay and career.
Here is how you can help
Tell all your colleagues that they need to
join the ASU to help us build a fairer classification system and ensure that workers go forwards, not backwards!
Together, we’ve won Equal pay, pay rises, family and domestic violence leave and much more.
We can win a better Award – we just must ensure that we build a strong campaign and united sector to make this happen.