The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) welcomes the certainty of a final wage outcome for aged care workers, but has expressed its concern that the pay increase for nurses working in aged care is still on hold, leaving them waiting and uncertain.  

Last week, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) ruled that direct care workers would receive 50% of the additional award wage increase from 1 January 2025 and the remaining 50% from October 2025.  Indirect care workers, including cleaners and administration staff, are set-to receive the full increase from the start of next year.

The ANMF had argued for the wage rises to flow-through immediately to all aged care employees , highlighting that ‘aged care workers have been subsidising the profit margins of their employers, the Commonwealth budget, and taxpayer, for some time’.

Despite these submissions, the FWC, determined, that in light of the 15% interim award rate increase already granted and the recent annual wage review increase, the Commonwealth request for a staggered wage increase was reasonable.

Additional pay increases for enrolled nurses (ENs) and registered nurses (RNs) are still being considered by the FWC in both the Aged Care work value case and a separate Work Value Case made by the ANMF for all employees covered by the Nurses Award 2020.

The ANMF hopes a result can be achieved quickly so that all nurses working in Australia’s aged care system finally receive a long-awaited and much-deserved increase to award wages.

- ANMF Federal Secretary, Annie Butler

The ANMF, with over 326,000 members, is the industrial and professional voice for nurses, midwives and carers in Australia.

ANMF Statement authorised by Annie Butler, ANMF Federal Secretary. 1/365 Queen St, Melbourne.