Earlier this month, the Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation (ANMF) lodged a claim with the FWC alleging that aged care providers are refusing to pass on government funding intended for pay rises to staff, and suggesting providers are threatening to cancel their workers’ Enterprise Bargaining Agreements.
The CEO, Samantha Jewell, of one of the providers in question, Lifeview, claims they will pass on pay rises to staff and they have no plans to cancel their EBAs.
Samantha said Lifeview, which operates four aged care homes in Melbourne’s southeast, was due to vote on a new three-year EBA in December 2022. The agreement would have delivered staff a 3% pay rise. However, Samantha told The SOURCE, the ANMF and HSU “cancelled” the voting.
In January 2023, “the unions requested new clauses be placed in the EBA,” Samantha said.
The new clauses were in relation to “the unions auditing funding provided by the government to providers”.
Samantha Jewell, CEO Lifeview
“We are not in agreement with these clauses, which led to the union’s action. We will continue to provide regulatory reporting to the government,” Samantha confirmed.
“Lifeview has never said it will not pass on the pay rise to staff, we believe all our staff deserve this pay rise.
“We are eager to find out when and how the Government will fund this 15% pay increase, which must include all on-costs such as superannuation, payroll tax etc., and include all staff who deliver care.
“The current ruling does not include every staff member and favours those in home care over residential care (a cleaner in home care will get the 15% but a cleaner in a resi facility does not).”
Samantha confirmed that Lifeview’s staff will not be moving to the Award.
“The majority of Lifeview staff are currently paid higher than award rates via the EBA, in fact the EBA, which was due to be ratified late last year included a 3% pay rise for all staff in February this year.
“We chose to pay our staff this increase regardless – waiting until June 30 for an increase would have been too long for some,” she said.