17 May 2011

Equal Pay Case for the Social and Community Sectors

In a landmark decision handed down by a full bench of Fair Work Australia this Monday 16 May 2011 it found that "for employees in the SACS industry there is not equal remuneration for men and women workers for work of equal or comparable value by comparison with workers in state and local government. FWA also noted “gender has been important in creating the gap between pay in the SACS industry and pay in comparable state and local government employment”.

The next step is to make orders to rectify the matter and any alterations should they be made would apply to the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010. FWA will be seeking submissions as to the shape the orders should take and have urged the parties to attempt to reach some agreement on any proposed orders being sought.

The case has been set down for further hearing in August 2011.