The Australian Services Union has launched a new alliance seeking a better award for community and disability sector workers. Photo: Miodrag Ignjatovic.
The Australian Services Union (ASU) and the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) have entered the federal election calling for better pay and conditions for community and disability sector workers.
Whichever side of politics wins, they say, these workers and the jobs they do must be shown greater respect and be remunerated accordingly.
The ASU announced the launch on Tuesday (1 April) of the Skilled, Respected, Equal Alliance.
The new alliance is a coalition of organisations committed to securing better pay, career pathways, and government support for social, community, and disability sector workers.
Top of the list is an updated and improved Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services (SCHADS) Award, which the ASU says is sorely outdated.
ASU national secretary Emeline Gaske said for three decades, workers in the sectors have been let down by an outdated classification system that fails to reflect the growing complexity of their roles.
“For too long, workers in the social, community and disability sectors have been undervalued, despite the critical role they play in supporting members of our community who rely upon support the most,” Ms Gaske said.
“The SCHADS Award is stuck in the 1990s. It doesn’t recognise the skills, experience, qualifications, or the complexity of the work people do, and it’s completely out of step with modern expectations and the increasing demands from regulators and funding bodies.
“That’s why the Skilled, Respected, Equal Alliance is bringing workers and employers together to push for the reforms we desperately need—an improved classification system, proper recognition for workers, and to secure funding our sector relies on.”
The aim is to unite workers and employers to push for adequate funding and implementation of a fair, future-ready award.
The ASU describes the new alliance as a “groundbreaking group” that would benefit community workers and employers while improving the quality of services for the community.
ACOSS agrees, with chief executive officer Cassandra Goldie joining the call for a better deal and improved award for the sector’s workers.
“ACOSS urges the next Federal Government to guarantee funding for improved pay, conditions and job security for all community sector workers across the country,” Dr Goldie said.
“Our sector has seen unprecedented demand for services in recent years.
“It’s beyond time that our workforce is adequately funded and treated with the dignity and fairness it deserves.”
The ASU has initiated a case in the Fair Work Commission to address what it says are key shortfalls in the SCHADS Award.
The FWC is expected to make decisions on parts of the case this year, with further hearings on the classification structure also slated for later in the year.
The ASU says the new alliance builds on the union’s success in its historic equal pay campaign of 2010-2012, which secured pay increases of 23 to 48 per cent.
It also secured government funding to address the historic gendered undervaluation of community services workers.
The new alliance will play a pivotal role in advocating for government support and funding to implement needed reforms, with the ASU saying any further real change will only be achieved with greater collaboration and government backing.
More broadly, ACOSS is urging all parties and candidates campaigning in the federal election to deliver “real solutions” to address the hardships many people are facing but not stoke fear and division.
“Some voters have experienced a historic fall in their living standards, and many are feeling afraid – they’re scared they won’t be able to keep a roof over their heads, put food on the table and cover the cost of basic essentials,” Dr Goldie said.
“They’re crying out for leaders with clear plans to address these issues – not inflammatory rhetoric that stokes fear and division.
“If candidates are serious about tackling the cost of living, they must have policies that help the people with the least.
“The community sector rejects poorly targeted election sweeteners and calls on all parties and candidates to deliver an ambitious policy agenda that will reduce inequalities and deliver permanent relief for communities facing hardship.
“As the community sector, we are committed to fostering public debate about the most pressing issues, building bridges and crossing divides to support people to participate in a healthy and safe democratic process.”
ACOSS is calling on the next government to lift Jobseeker, Youth Allowance and related income support payments to match the pension rate of $82 a day, build more social housing to address the housing crisis and invest in home energy upgrades to permanently reduce bills.
