{"id":61286,"date":"2025-04-16T11:14:53","date_gmt":"2025-04-16T01:14:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/development.uwu.org.au\/staging\/?p=61286"},"modified":"2025-07-28T17:10:33","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T07:10:33","slug":"life-changing-pay-rises-boost-lowest-paid-workers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/development.uwu.org.au\/staging\/media-release\/life-changing-pay-rises-boost-lowest-paid-workers\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018LIFE-CHANGING\u2019 PAY RISES BOOST LOWEST-PAID WORKERS"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pay rises of up to 27.8 per cent recommended by the Fair Work Commission for low-paid workers in early childhood education and care, alongside other female-dominated sectors, are the latest sign of Labor fulfilling its promise to get wages moving again*, United Workers Union said today.<\/p>\n

Today’s ruling<\/a> supported United Workers Union\u2019s arguments for a 23 per cent increase to a Cert III-qualified educators\u2019 pay level because early childhood educators had not been fairly rewarded due to historical gender undervaluation.<\/p>\n

\u201cLife-changing pay rises for low-paid workers recommended by the Commission are a further sign Labor is successfully addressing years of historical undervaluation based on gender,\u201d United Workers Union National President Jo Schofield said today.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese recommendations show current annual above-inflation wage growth of more than 4 per cent a year<\/a> is due to Labor\u2019s deliberate policy settings that encourage wage growth for those who need it most.<\/p>\n

\u201cCompare today\u2019s recommendations to the Coalition\u2019s paltry wage growth of 2 per cent a year during its 9-year tenure, when real wages were in decline amid massive inflation.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo wonder workers say they can\u2019t afford to see a Peter Dutton-led Government \u2013 he would be a train wreck for wage growth because he wants to reverse laws that support pay rises.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn relation to Indigenous health workers<\/strong>, I can think of no other cohort that deserves a pay rise more than these often-overlooked professionals.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn relation to home-care disability support workers,<\/strong> today\u2019s finding imposes a bare minimum for disability support work in caring roles, meaning a substantial increase for many.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn relation to health support workers in female-dominated sectors, <\/strong>today\u2019s findings represent wage justice that acknowledges years of being undervalued.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn relation to our thousands of early childhood education and care members<\/strong>, today is cause for celebration.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout 150,000 hard-working educators, more than 90 per cent of them women, can now lock in their 15 per cent pay rise delivered by the Albanese Labor Government, and expect more to come.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter years of campaigning for recognition, educators should be proud of what they have achieved today.<\/p>\n

\u201cA high-quality early education sector gives children their best start in life, and gives families the support they need to return to the workforce.<\/p>\n

\u201cLabor\u2019s commitment to lifting workers\u2019 wages is unquestioned. It\u2019s on Mr Dutton to say whether he will honour these pay rises, or whether the Coalition will once again target low-paid workers and stiff them on the pay rises they deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n

* Background:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Today\u2019s recommendations stem from the 2022 Better Jobs, Secure Pay reforms introduced by the Federal Labor Government that gave the Fair Work Commission the specific remit to examine gender undervaluation:<\/p>\n