Seven pharmacy assistants at Chemist Warehouse were found to be underpaid in a key test case that could deliver tens of millions of dollars in backpay to the pharmacy retailer's employees nationwide.

The South Australian Employment Tribunal (SAET) ruled that the seven workers, employed across the Colonnades, Elizabeth, Clovelly Park and Modbury stores, were entitled to be classified and paid at Pharmacy Assistant Level 3 under the Pharmacy Industry Award.

The tribunal found the workers used the higher level of skill and competency gained through their Certificate III training in their day-to-day duties, yet continued to be paid at Level 1 or Level 2 rates.

It added that the employer had "accepted public funds" under a government incentive to upskill employees, but chose not to pay them for utilising those skills.

"Following their qualification at Certificate III in Community Pharmacy, each of the employees was required by their employer to work at the level of competency of the Certificate III, and was entitled to be classified and paid at Award classification Pharmacy Assistant Level 3 as claimed," the tribunal ruled.

A 'systemic problem' at Chemist Warehouse

The Shop, Distributive, and Allied Employees' Association (SDA) said the affected workers were underpaid $1.57 an hour, or roughly $60 a week.

But the ruling had implications well beyond the four Chemist Warehouse stores involved, according to the SDA.

"This is a systemic problem at Chemist Warehouse. It's not...

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