Award Safety Net Reviews Each year, the ASU is actively involved in the process of updating minimum award wage rates to ensure the award safety net keeps pace with living costs. Not all employees are in workplaces where enterprise bargaining is the main engine driving pay increases, so the safety net review is critical to ensure all workers receive fair reward for their labour in Australia. From 2010, Fair Work Australia will take over minimum award wage decisions from John Howard's Australian Fair Pay Commission (AFPC) which has reviewed the minimum wage from 2006 to 2009 inclusive. The ASU is looking forward to the change as we have questioned the legitimacy of the AFPC since the beginning. John Nucifora and Jody Miles are the National Officers responsible for the ASU's involvement in minimum wage review matters. For further information, please contact John & Jody. 2009 On July 7, 2009, the AFPC in its final decision before being disbanded, shocked the community (and, tellingly, the usually dispassionate journalists covering the event) by announcing a pay freeze on award wages. You can read about it here: "Working Australians to suffer as WorkChoices-era pay commission saves its worst for last". For more information about the unions' initial claim for $21, visit our earlier news item: "Unions push for $21 a week pay rise for low-paid workers to stimulate economy and safeguard jobs". 2008 On July 8, 2008, the AFPC announced its decision on the minimum wage review. The Commission has granted an increase of $21.66 a week, or 57 cents an hour, to the federal minimum wage and Australian award pay and classification scales. Unlike in previous years, the 2008 decision is not differential, and applies uniformly to all minimum rates of pay in the pay scales. The decision takes effect from the first pay period on or after 1 October 2008. Further details about the decision can be found here: "Minimum wage pay decision begins to repair damage done by WorkChoices". The unions had sought an increase of $26 per week to the minimum wage. Further details can be found in our related news article "Give low paid workers $26 a week pay rise". 2007 On July 5, 2007, the AFPC announced its decision on the minimum wage review. It has increased the standard Federal Minimum Wage and all Pay scales as follows: $10.26 per week, for those earning less than $700 a week and $5.30 per week, for those earning more than $700 per week. Both increases apply from the first pay date on or after 1 October 2007. Read more here: Lowest pay rise for 10 years. 2006 On October 26, 2006, the AFPC finally handed down its decision on the minimum wage review. Following an AIRC determination, an increase of $27.40 per week to the Federal Minimum wage and to minimum 'award' rates of pay below $700 per week and an increase of $22.00 per week to rates above $700 will be applied. Increases operate from 1 December 2006. For more details, go to: http://www.asu.asn.au/media/minwage/20061026_lowpaid.html Despite the delays created by the Federal Government's new laws, unions attempted to ensure that at least as many workers as possible had access to fair pay increases in 2006 by commencing wage cases in the State tribunals. To find out more, go to: http://www.asu.asn.au/media/rightsatwork/20060515_rights.html 2005 The Australian Industrial Relations Commission awarded $17 in the 2005 Minimum Wage Case on June 7 2005. The claim made by unions in this round was for $26.60 a week. Although it was not reached, the AIRC decided on an amount which was greater than that being asked by employers and the Federal Government, a miserly $10-$11. State and Territory governments supported $20. This is likely to be the last national wage increase determined by the independant AIRC after a century of tradition. The Federal Government intends to have future wage increases set by a new government run agency which if set up in 1996 would have delivered $50 less to workers based on Commonwealth submissions over the last 8 years. 2004 The Australian Industrial Relations Commission awarded $19 in the 2004 Minimum Wage Case on May 5, 2004. The claim made by unions in this round was for $26.60 a week but although it was not reached, the AIRC decided on an amount which was far greater than that being asked by employers and the Federal Government, a miserly $10. State and Territory governments were much more in step by supporting $20. 2003 In the 2003 round of the Minimum Wage Case (the traditional name for the Living Wage Case has been used this round) the ACTU sought a $24.60 a week increase. The Commission granted a two tiered increase: $17 per week for those earning up to and including $731.80; and $15 workers on over $731.80. 2002 The ASU claim in this years National Wage Case, coordinated by the ACTU, was for an increase of $25 per week, but a Full Bench of the Commission granted $18 instead (with the Federal Government and employer groups asking for only $10). 2001 and earlier If you are interested in the earlier Wage Cases, have a look at our "Summary of Safety Net Adjustment Increases from 1991 onwards". If this doesn't answer your query, please send us an e-mail. Our commitment to the low paid Our involvement in the Minimum Wage Case and our subsequent drive of award variations underlines the ASU's commitment to assisting workers who do not have access to enterprise bargaining increases. As usual, it is the most low paid in our society that seek to keep pace with the rising cost of living through the unions' work in the Minimum Wage Case.  Campaign resources and links ...ACTU Minimum Wage Case home page - this webpage has extensive resources including media releases, submissions and supporting documentation. ...Fair Work Australia website - Minimum Wages page ...Australian Fair Pay Commission website ...2008 Australian Industrial Relations Commission page ...2007 Australian Industrial Relations Commission page ...2006 Australian Industrial Relations Commission page ...2005 Australian Industrial Relations Commission page ...2004 Australian Industrial Relations Commission page ...2003 Australian Industrial Relations Commission page ...2002 Australian Industrial Relations Commission page

Campaign e-mail  Campaign news Gender pay gap set to widen following freeze on wages for the low-paid The gap between men’s and women’s pay will widen following last week’s decision to freeze the minimum wage, say unions. Women are over-represented among the low-paid, and the adverse decision by the Australian Fair Pay Commission will worsen inequality, said ACTU President Sharan Burrow. 13 July 2009 [full story] Working Australians to suffer as WorkChoices-era pay commission saves its worst for last Today’s decision by the soon-to-be-scrapped ‘Fair Pay Commission’ to freeze the Federal minimum wage and all other award wage rates is another kick in the teeth for working Australians from the Liberals’ WorkChoices. ASU National Secretary Paul Slape said, "We are outraged by this decision, especially as it comes at such a time of severe hardship for many workers and even runs diametrically opposite to the Federal Government's stimulus policies." 07 July 2009 [full story] Unions push for $21 a week pay rise for low-paid workers to stimulate economy and safeguard jobs Unions are seeking a $21 a week pay rise for workers on minimum wages to protect jobs by maintaining the purchasing power of working families and stimulate the economy. 23 March 2009 [full story]  click for earlier news