The Health Services Union (HSU) today welcomed the first pay increases flowing from the Fair Work Commission’s landmark gender undervaluation decision in the Health Professionals and Support Services (HPSS) Award.
HSU National Secretary Lloyd Williams said the increases mark the beginning of long-overdue pay rises for dental assistants and pathology collectors, recognising the systemic undervaluation of a predominantly female workforce.
“This is a major win for many HSU members who have been doing essential, skilled work for years while being paid less than they deserve - mainly because they are jobs done overwhelmingly by women,” Mr Williams said.
Dental assistants will receive pay rises of up to 10%, phased over two stages - with the first increase taking effect today, April 1, and a second increase to follow on January 1 next year.
Meanwhile, pathology collectors will receive pay rises of between 1.8% and 10.9%, also phased over two stages on the same timeline.
These increases are the first to flow as a result of the HSU’s advocacy in the HPSS Award gender undervaluation proceedings, which found that workers in these roles had been historically underpaid.
“The HSU was the leading union to file material in the HPSS Award case, and our dental assistant and pathology collector members showed tremendous courage in stepping forward as witnesses to tell their stories. This decision is theirs,” Mr Williams said.
Today’s increases follow the Commission’s historic decision, handed down in 2025, which confirmed that these workers had been subject to gender-based undervaluation.
In its case, the HSU argued for wage increases established in the aged care work value case which would equate to an increase of around 23%.
While the Commission's decision fell short of that, Mr Williams said the outcome is nonetheless a meaningful step forward.
“We will always argue for what our members are worth and these increases are a recognition of that,” he said.
“Australian Pathology argued against any pay rise at all for pathology collectors and then had the audacity to say if increases were granted, they should be delayed for years.
“These are the same private companies that made extraordinary profits throughout the COVID-19 pandemic on the backs of the very workers they now want to underpay. Our members won't forget that.”
Health professionals under the HPSS Award were also awarded substantial pay increases of up to 32%, which will take effect later this year and be implemented in five stages.
Mr Williams said the HSU will continue to push for improved wages and conditions across the full breadth of the HPSS Award and thanked the Federal Government for taking gender-based undervaluation seriously.
“We wish to acknowledge the Albanese Government and the Fair Work Commission for their commitment to examining and addressing gender-based undervaluation in our industrial system.
“Today is an important milestone, but it is just the beginning. We will keep fighting to ensure every worker under this Award is properly valued and paid fairly.”
Contact details:
Eliot | 0423 921 200
