Rights at work

Unions push for wage increase in the face of rising costs for working families

Unions will today (Monday) press ahead with claims for a 4% lift in wages for more than one million low paid workers, arguing that an immediate pay rise is needed to cover spiralling petrol, interest rate, and other price rises that are hurting working families.

The 4% pay rise in award wages would lift the adult minimum wage by about $20 a week - taking it up from the current $484.40 a week to $503.80 a week.

Wage claims are being pursued by unions for award workers in QLD, NSW, TAS, SA and WA (Victoria ceded its powers to set minium wages under the Kennett Government) with hearings starting today (Monday) in the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission.

Commenting on the opening of the QLD wage case today, ACTU President Sharan Burrow said:

"Working families are under enormous financial pressure as a result of rises in interest rates, petrol and food prices and the Federal Government's IR laws are further threatening family living standards by putting downward pressure on wages and conditions.

The Howard Government is also trying to delay a pay rise for more than one million award workers around Australia, including around 160,000 award workers in Queensland.

The Federal Government is opposing the union claim for a lift in wages for the low-paid in every one of the cases currently being run - in QLD, NSW, TAS, SA and WA.

The Government is arguing that award workers should wait until the new so-called 'Fair Pay Commission' decides whether they get a pay rise or not.

But even then, there is no guarantee that the body that unions call the 'Low Pay Commission' will give a pay rise that covers the rising cost of living for ordinary families," said Ms Burrow.

"Working families are struggling to keep their heads above water and cannot wait another year for a pay rise under the Howard Government's IR laws.

They have already been dudded in last week's Federal Budget with most workers receiving tax cuts of only $7 or $10 a week.

Even employer group, the Queensland Chamber of Commerce and Industry is supporting a pay rise for the State's award workers," said Ms Burrow.