The Fair Work Commission has agreed with Professional Pharmacists Australia that pharmacist’s pay needs to rise and are broadening the inquiry to 29 awards that require an undergraduate degree.
This case will now affect degree qualified workers in sectors including Banking, Legal Services and Higher Education. Pharmacists through their Union PPA have led the way for professionals across Australia to argue for a pay rise.
PPA members have won cumulatively 22% in increases to the Pharmacy Industry Award pay rates since we began the work value case three years ago. Of these the next 2.5% increase is due on 1st October 2019.
PPA’s supplementary submission in March particularly highlighted the relative discrepancy of minimum Award starting pay rates per week:
The President of the FWC has agreed that the discrepancies do exist and referred an examination across all degree qualified workers back to the full bench.
Quotes attributable to PPA President Geoff March
“Thanks to the members of PPA degree qualified workers across the country will have the chance at arguing for a pay rise. PPA will be responding to the Commission to seek that pharmacists’ pay rise be considered first as the group that brought the issue to the Commission's attention.”
“It has been a long, hard slog with members providing evidence through multiple stages of the work value case. This is what PPA fights for – pharmacists and their value. Talk to your colleagues and ask them to join the Union to support the fight and continue to win."
Fair Work Commission statement:
https://www.fwc.gov.au/cases-decisions-orders/major-cases/undergraduate-qualifications-review