Pharmacy Daily | PA concerned over COVID pay cuts

MOVES to end COVID-19-related public health orders and income support will adversely impact pharmacy staff and the broader community, the Professionals Australia (PA) union believes.

In a statement issued earlier this week PA, which represents employee pharmacies, warned that "COVID-19 remains a significant risk to the health and wellbeing of Australians".

Under changes announced by National Cabinet last month community pharmacists who contract COVID-19 will not be eligible to receive Pandemic Leave Disaster Payments, while targeted financial support will be available to workers in the hospital sector (PD 30 Sep).

"Although the recent wave has receded, we are likely to see further waves and variants that will cause serious illness," PA said.

"If action is not taken now to reduce these waves, we will once again see significant pressure placed on frontline workers in the health and care sectors, including PA's pharmacist members and the vulnerable Australians they care for.

"We remind employers that the removal of public health orders and income support does not change employer obligations under our health and safety laws to ensure workplaces are healthy and safe and that any risks to health and safety must be addressed.

"Employers must ensure that workers who contract COVID-19 are not forced to attend work and are financially supported to isolate safely and recover from the illness.

"Employers must also work with workers and their unions to ensure that appropriate health and safety measures are in place to deal with COVID-19.

"The pandemic has also demonstrated the risk to public health that has been caused by the erosion of paid sick leave entitlements across the workforce, especially as a result of insecure work."

PA added that having initially secured paid pandemic leave, the union would continue to campaign to ensure workplaces are safe and employees are paid to isolate if they contract COVID-19.

"We call on the Albanese Government to work with unions, employers and the community to ensure workplaces are prepared for future waves of COVID-19 and ensure we have policies and practices in place that minimise the risks of COVID to our community in the future," a PA spokesperson said.