NT Government must commit to community sector pay rises

MEDIA RELEASE 1 February 2012

The union representing community services workers in the NT is calling on the Territory Government to pay its fair share of huge pay rises awarded today by Fair Work Australia.

SA + NT Branch secretary of the Australian Services Union Katrine Hildyard says the decision - which awards pay increases of between 19% and 41% - will mean fairer pay packets for community services workers right in the Territory.

"These hardworking Territorians do incredibly important work helping the homeless, the disadvantaged and disabled people - and they are often not earning much more than the people they are helping.

"Fair Work Australia has found that these important community services workers deserve these pay rises and the Federal Government has already committed to funding its share.

"But while some other States have committed to pay their fair share, there's been no word from the Territory Government.

"We call on the Territory Government to make its intentions clear, for the sake of those working in the sector and also for the thousands of Territorians they care for every day.

"These workers have up until now been paid more than 30 per cent less than those performing comparable work in other sectors."

"It has been thirty years since such a significant decision was last handed down for equal pay, but today we have made history."

"Fair Work Australia, an independent body, has agreed that the work of people in the community sector has been undervalued, and part of the reason is because it is work being done largely by women."

"Today's decision recognises what the Australian Services Union has been saying: that people working in this sector deserve to be better recognised and paid for their work."

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