PIA stays in group two
March 19, 2014
The Fair Work Commission has
decided that the Pharmacy Industry
Award (PIA) will not be moved
from its group for the purposes of
the four yearly review of modern
awards.
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia
submitted that the award be
grouped with other service sector
awards, in Group 4, instead of its
current placement in Group 2.
The Commission said the award
would remain in stage two but
confirmed that the allocations were
“a matter of convenience” and
did not represent any conclusions
about their terms relative to other
awards in the group.
“Further, issues relating to the
Pharmacy Industry Award 2010,
including some raised by employers
in that industry, may be dealt with
as part of the later stages where
appropriate.”
Professional Pharmacists Australia
(PPA) welcomed the decision,
saying it was an agreement with
its arguments to keep the award
in the same group as awards for
other health workers and that
the plan to move it, and as a
result, reduce penalty rates, was a
significant concern for community
pharmacists.
The Guild said this was verballing
and misrepresenting the words
of the Fair Work Commission,
and that it wanted a fair result for
pharmacists and assistants.
“This is a procedural matter
only, and does not constitute
any substantive change to the
Pharmacy Industry Award.”
To read the decision, CLICK HERE
and to read the Guild’s submission,
CLICK HERE.
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