Aged care workers will be able to score two new bonus payments of up to $800 by early May, which is frankly the very least they deserve after getting us through the pandemic.
As both parties gear up to the federal election Scott Morrison is expected to announced the plan on Tuesday during his National Press Club.
According to the ABC, the first payment will come in February and the second in May.
How much each aged care worker gets is also based on how many hours they’ve worked. $400 is the max you can receive per payment.
Morrison also announced a broader $209 million package for the sector.
“This is a responsible commitment that builds on the $393 million provided over three payments to 234,000 aged care workers earlier in the pandemic,” Morrison is expected to say.
ICYMI, back in 2020 residential care workers copped three payments of up to $800 each and home care workers scored up to $600 each.
However, the government didn’t announced any support for a push to increase the pay of aged care workers (surprise, surprise).
In July, the Fair Work Commission will hear a case from the Health Services Union (HSU) arguing that workers in the aged care system should receive a 25% pay rise.
HSU secretary Gerard Hayes criticised the government’s plan as a strategy for the election as opposed to one genuinely committed to supporting the aged care industry.
“If the Commonwealth was serious about dealing with this problem, it would support the HSU case for a 25% wage rise,” he said, as per News.com.au.
“Until it does, aged care workers will vote with their feet and keep leaving the industry.”
The HSU also criticised the government’s $400 cash bonus plan given the immense pressure on aged care workers over the course of the pandemic, particularly with the Omicron wave.
Speaking to The Guardian, Hayes said that “trinkets are not required when diamonds are needed”.
“People are leaving the industry, they are being paid $22 an hour, they are leaving for retail and hospitality and this is the best they can do? It’s a disgrace,” he said.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese told ABC Insiders on Sunday that he would support an increase in pay for aged care workers.
“We still don’t have a commitment to increase wages and conditions so that aged care facilities are able to attract the staff,” he said.
“So I’ll tell you one thing we would do right now: there’s a case before the Fair Work Commission for an increase in wages for aged care staff. The federal government should be making a submission to that, to the commission, supporting an increase in wages.”
If this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s the healthcare workers are the absolute backbone of our society. If anyone deserves to be celebrated — but more importantly, to be paid fairly — it’s them.
