SACS: Social & Community Services

SACS workers do it for love and money

Social & community workers to rally outside QIRC for fairer pay

By ASU-Queensland Services Branch

An historic pay equity case will start in the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC) tomorrow (Monday, 10 November) aimed at securing pay rises of between $15,000 and $18,000 per year for front line workers in over 2000 social and community service (SACS) organisations in Queensland.

Hundreds of SACS workers will rally outside the QIRC tomorrow morning to mark the occasion.

The case - using the Queensland Government's Equal Remuneration Principle - is seeking pay parity with public sector workers who do similar work to these employees in the non-government SACS sector (see full pay comparison attached). Hearings are scheduled for 10, 11 and 12 November 2008.

This pay claim follows the recent creation of a new State award for these employees. This new "common rule" award covers the vast majority of employees who are engaged by non-constitutional corporations, which remain outside the federal WorkChoices legislation. This has provided SACS workers with greater security of entitlements and they now enjoy the same award safeguards as those enjoyed by all other award workers.

Queensland Services Union (QSU) secretary, David Smith, said it is now time to set new wage rates for SACS workers, which ensure they are financially valued to the same extent as similar public sector workers.

"Most of them currently earn up to 30 per cent less than public sector workers doing similar work and that is not acceptable. In fact, it is a scandal that so many people, who do so much for our communities and those in need, are still so undervalued to this extent in terms of pay," Mr Smith said.

"It is important for everyone to recognise that these special people do their jobs for love and money. Compassion and care, by themselves, do not pay the bills.

"There is also general consensus amongst union and employer representatives that the sector, as a whole, needs an equitable pay and conditions structure if it is to maintain the staff and qualification levels necessary to meet the ever increasing demand on social and community services.

"Work in this industry is often hard, thankless and emotionally exhausting. Burnout rates and staff turnover are high. People often have to move from job to job for reasons beyond their control, such as the cessation or reduction of government funding to their service.

"It is about time we better rewarded these dedicated people and reduced the loss of experienced employees in this industry. Because governments provide most funding for SACS, they obviously also have a role to play.

"I call upon Government, if it is serious about a fairer and more inclusive society, to ensure funding is sufficient to support this much needed improvement in pay," Mr Smith said.

SACS funding comes from government departments and instrumentalities such as Families, Disabilities, Health, Housing, Employment Training and Youth, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Child Safety, Women and the Legal Aid Commission.

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