The Health Services Union has strongly endorsed the Albanese Government’s $630 million investment to fund pay rises for more than 460,000 health, disability and community services workers.
The funding will help charities and not-for-profit organisations meet the outcomes of stage one of the Fair Work Commission’s Gender-Based Undervaluation Review.
The HSU argued in the review that gender-based undervaluation is widespread across health and disability. Workers in these sectors exercise skills including high level emotional and interpersonal skills, which have historically been unrecognised in their pay. They also hold qualifications that have been factored into pay far less than in other, often male-dominated, sectors.
HSU National Secretary Dustin Halse welcomed the government’s announcement.
“The Albanese Labor Government is proving it will back the historic outcome of stage one of the gender-based undervaluation review with real money,” he said.
“That has a profound impact primarily for workers at community health services who have waited years for their work to be properly valued.
“This includes sectors like Aboriginal health, dental, maternal and child health, family services and community allied health.”
HACSU Health and Community Services Victoria Secretary Paul Healey said the decision would help address gender inequality.
“Most of these workers are women so this funding will help address some of the serious gender disparity we see in female-dominated professions.
“This funding means the pay rises our members have won can flow through while the services they deliver keep running.”
Mr Halse said the HSU had fought hard alongside other unions for pay rises through the review.
“This will have massive community benefit, helping to retain and attract workers in critical jobs through ensuring they’re paid fairly.”
“We look forward to seeing more detail on how the money will reach the organisations that employ our members.”
Mr Halse said more gender undervaluation matters were still to come, particularly in Aboriginal health and other Commonwealth-funded sectors.
“There’s more work ahead. We look forward to the government continuing to back these outcomes with the funding they need,” he said.
“Health, aged care and disability workers look after Australians at some of the hardest moments of their lives. Paying them properly is how we keep them in the jobs society relies on.”
Media contact: Matt Coughlan 0400 561 480 / matt@hortonadvisory.com.au