Aged care workers should have received their latest wage increase in their first full pay packet for 2025.
The pay increase is a win from the aged care work value cases, prosecuted by the ANMF and other unions in the Fair Work Commission (FWC), which began in 2021.
The cases sought to improve award wages in aged care.
The case was successful, and in July 2023, award rates for direct care workers in aged care increased by 15 per cent.
In March 2024 the FWC made its final wage rates decision for AiNs and PCWs which would mean a total 23 per cent increase for Certificate 3 workers as a result of the work value case.
The FWC held that AiNs and PCW Awards would receive further increases from 1 January 2025 and any final increase from 1 October 2025.
Prior to 1 January the award rate for an AiN with a certificate 3 was $31.24. From 1 January, the new rate is $32.14 – an hourly increase of $0.90.
The FWC also decided that instead of having a classification structure for AiNs in the Nurses Award and the same structure replicated in the Aged Care Award, these two structures should be merged to become one.
The new structure will be in the Aged Care Award, rather than the Nurses Award.
NSWNMA General Secretary Shaye Candish says the pay improvements are proof that collective union power delivers results.
“This pay rise should be paid to you by your employer as it is funded by the federal government. But we know that not all employers passed on the previous 15 per cent increases until members spoke up.
“So, members will once again need to hold providers to account and we’re here to help you do that,” she said.