Australian Unions have fought hard to win wage rises for lower paid workers throughout the country.
The ACTU has welcomed the Fair Work Commission’s decision to award a wage rise of 3.5 percent for the 3 million Australian workers who rely on minimum and award wages.
From July 1, this group of mostly part-time and lower-paid workers will receive a minimum weekly wage increase of $32, or an annual pay boost of $1666 if working on a full-time basis.
Most workers directly impacted by the decision are employed in the accommodation and food services, community, care, retail, arts, administration, recreation and health care sectors.
The pay boost will help workers catch up on some of what they’ve lost over the past five years of the inflation fight and keeps real wages moving in the ongoing effort to rebuild living standards.
Quotes attributable to ACTU Secretary, Sally McManus:
“Australian Unions welcome the decision of the Fair Work Commission to lift the wages of around 3 million workers by 3.5% come the 1 July. Their decision supports the ACTU’s argument that Australia’s lowest paid workers should catch up with what was lost during the inflation spike.
“Achieving this 3.5% increase was also only possible because the Albanese Labor Government delivered on their election promise and joined unions in arguing for a real wage increase.
“This decision delivers a 1.1% real wage increase, one of the largest real wage increases the Fair Work Commission has awarded.
“This wage increase means those who are paid award wages will start to get ahead again, easing pressure on their weekly budgets and part of the stress that comes from having to cut back on the basics.
“With unions delivering strong real wage growth in collective agreements and now with real award wages growing, working people have turned the corner and are seeing decent real wage growth for the first time in more than a decade.”
