News

ASU MEMBERS WIN EQUAL PAY

Details

Published on Wednesday, 01 February, 2012

"Today is a day in a generation – a day for all women to celebrate" ASU Secretary Sally McManus

In an historic decision FWA has awarded ASU members equal pay. In a decision handed down in Melbourne at 12 noon on Wednesday February 1st 2012. FWA ruled to implement the agreement that had been reached between the ASU and the Australian Government – the Queensland rates of pay for everyone.

Summary

In summary the Tribunal decision means that:

• The work of social and community service workers has been undervalued on the basis of gender.

• The rates of pay should be significantly increased

• The rates of pay should effectively be the same as the Queensland rates of pay

• The new rates should phase in over an 8 year period not a 6 year period

• The graduate entry points for 3 and 4 year graduates should be increased one pay point on the new Modern Award scale so that they are the same as the Queensland Award

Some issues of concern need further discussion with the government

Whilst the decision of FWA grants the wages sought by the ASU, there are a number of issues that need further discussion. These include:

• How the phase in arrangements will work
• Do we really need an 8 year phase in for everyone?
• How will funding be managed?

In addition there are now some important discussions to be had with the NSW State and ACT Territory Government.

The ASU has already has some preliminary phone discussions with the commonwealth and detailed discussions will commence in the coming days.

We ask all members to be patient as we work through the details.

Is there anything I have to do immediately? YES!

The timelines for implementing Equal Pay are now clear and set.

• 1st July – Modern Award Classifications must commence
• 1st July – Pay increase from the Annual Wage Review
• 1st December – Phase in of Equal Pay commences

Members now have to become ""Equal Pay Ready" – ALL members MUST be re-classified by July 1st. To get yourself "Equal Pay Ready" you must:

• Ensure that you are re-classified under the Modern Award by the 1st of July

• In NSW, the ASU, National Disability Service, NCOSS and Jobs Australia (JA) have an agreement about how this will happen.

• This material will come to you in the next week

• If you are an ASU member you will receive a special "Equal Pay Key" that will help you access a MEMBERS ONLY website so you can prepare your application for re-classification using an electronic data base.

• All ASU members will receive their "Equal Pay Key" in the mail in the week of February 27th.

• NON – Members need to join the ASU now to access an "Equal Pay Key"

When Equal Pay is fully phased in what will my new rates of pay be in todays dollars?
It is not possible to be entirely precise about this. However the ASU and the Australian Government have an agreement that if the rates of pay granted by FWA were what we asked for (and they are) then they would be as follows: