'Undervalued' disability workers push for pay rise

Australia's vital community and disability services sector is on the brink of significant upheaval as the Australian Services Union (ASU) launches an 'historic' pay claim for a 35 percent wage increase for 300,000 workers. The union argues that these predominantly female workers have been systematically undervalued and underpaid for decades, a situation exacerbated by rising cost-of-living pressures and a critical workforce shortage threatening the integrity of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The claim, presented to the Fair Work Commission, directly challenges the current economic framework underpinning essential care services. This aggressive push for better pay unfolds against a backdrop of increasing demand and government efforts to rein in NDIS spending, which has seen 'significant cuts' drawing criticism from disability advocates. Currently, NDIS support workers earning $28 to $45 an hour on weekdays under the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award (SCHADS Award) often see a considerable gap between their wages and the NDIS price limits that providers can charge, which can be up to $70.23/hour. This discrepancy, coupled with four in ten community and disability workers planning to exit the sector within the next year, underscores a deepening crisis in worker retention, with turnover five times the national average. The Health Services Union (HSU) has also consistently highlighted this gender undervaluation and the urgent need for competitive wages to prevent burnout and attract new talent. The Fair Work Commission will now weigh the ASU comprehensive case, which emphasizes the increasing complexity and demands of disability support roles, alongside the broader economic implications for the Albanese Government and the future of the NDIS. With Jobs and Skills Australia projecting a 23 percent growth in these sectors by 2035, the outcome of this claim will not only redefine remuneration for a quarter of Australia's social care workforce but also critically determine the sustainability and quality of care for hundreds of thousands of disabled Australians. All eyes are on how the government, already defending NDIS reforms, will engage with this pivotal industrial relations challenge.