Unions will today be reminding Australian workers to check they are not missing out on wage increases which should have automatically come into effect at the start of the new financial year.
ACTU President Ged Kearney said unions have declared Friday, 12 July as National "Check Your Pay Day" to educate workers about the new annual pay rates which flow on from the effects of an increase in the minimum Award wages.
Workers with any doubts about whether they are being paid correctly can call the free advice service on 1300 4 UNION (1300 486 466).
From 1 July, about 1.5 million workers have been granted an extra 2.6% in their wages, helping them and their families keep pace with the rising cost of living, following the annual wage review by the Fair Work Commission
They include about 100,000 on the minimum wage, who will receive an extra $15.80 a week extra, taking their weekly wage to $622.20 a week, or $16.37 an hour.
Ms Kearney said that for these workers, the Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review is their only chance of a pay rise.
"Now that the minimum wage has gone up, all workplace agreements and contracts will need to be checked to make sure that the rates of pay stay above the legal minimum," Ms Kearney said.
"This means that some workers on workplace agreements or over-award contracts will be entitled to a pay rise, because the award rate is the absolute minimum an employer can pay a worker.
"By now, most employees should have received their first pay slip of the new financial year, and they should check their wages against the legal minimum rates to ensure they are not being underpaid."
Many workers on union-negotiated collective agreements should also receive an annual pay rise from the start of the new financial year.
"Unions encourage all workers to check their pay because we unfortunately cannot rely on all employers to automatically adjust wages in line with the minimum wages increase," Ms Kearney said.
"We understand that the system can be complicated for workers to navigate, so we are urging workers to call our Australian Unions helpline on 1300 4 UNION (1300 4 86466) if in doubt to get expert advice on what you should be paid – and what you should do if your pay is incorrect."
Media contact: Ben Ruse ph 0409 510 879