Aged-care workers are notoriously underpaid for the level of skill, responsibility, and judgement they exercise. Even employers acknowledge it.
The aged care royal commission found low wages, poor conditions, lack of training and poor career pathways to be the principal causes of substandard care.
The Fair Work Commission is now considering a claim by unions to increase award rates in aged care by $5.40 to $7.20 an hour, to an average of $29 an hour.