The Fair Work Commission’s decision on penalty rates and other conditions in selected industries has hit workers in many professions, including pharmacists. The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia stated its concern that the new rule which cuts Sundays and public holiday penalty rates may lead to pharmacists who work on weekends and public holidays to be hit very hard.

PSA National President Joe Demarte hopes that the pharmacy that keep paying generous rates despite current difficult financial climate will not be impacted by the new rule.

PSA National President Joe Demarte said: “PSA acknowledges the many community pharmacy owners around Australia who pay their pharmacists and staff well above award rates, even under the current difficult financial climate. We hope that this ruling by the Fair Work Commission will not impact this.”

“It must be remembered that community pharmacies are not like other retail settings. Pharmacists are health professionals and their contribution needs to be recognised and remunerated in a different way to that of other retail workers,” Mr Demarte said.

Wages and remuneration is a key issues for pharmacists, with average rates of pay already below that of many other workers. PSA has strongly advocated for the Government to recognise the contribution of pharmacists to healthcare service delivery and appropriately support both the network that provides this access and the pharmacists who deliver the care.

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