The Fair Work Commission has found award pay rates in five industrial awards covering a range of female-dominated occupations and industries do not provide equal pay.

This important decision should narrow the gender pay gap.

The commission proposed significant increases to award pay rates covering thousands of workers including pharmacists, early childhood education and care workers, psychologists, physiotherapists and some other health workers.

The Fair Work Commission’s review of the five “priority” awards was undertaken following the Labor government’s changes to the Fair Work Act in 2022. The changes require the commission to take account of the need to achieve gender equality in setting modern award rates of pay.

The five priority modern awards reviewed by the expert panel are:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services Award 2020

Children’s Services Award 2010

Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020

Pharmacy Industry Award 2020

Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010.

The commission examined the evidence and found many pay........

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