The wages of Australia's lowest paid workers will increase by $16 per week from 1 July as the annual wage review decision affecting 1.8 million award dependent workers comes into effect.
This is the only chance for a pay rise for low paid workers and follows the Fair Work Commission's decision in the union-led annual wage case earlier this month.
From July 1 low paid workers including cleaners, shop assistants, restaurant workers, farm hands, administration and health care workers will see an increase of 2.5% in their pays.
All award rates including those above the C10 tradesperson rate will also receive a 2.5% increase.
The ASU is urging workers to check their pay slips carefully to ensure they have been paid correctly and any member who isn't or requires advice should contact their ASU Branch urgently.
You can check the current rates in your ASU award by following the links to the pay clause from our list:
www.asu.asn.au/resources/awards
The ACTU and unions had called for a $27 per week increase to the minimum wage which would have delivered a $3.1 billion per year economic stimulus and contributed towards closing the wages gap.
The decision by the Fair Work Commission to lift Australia's lowest wages by just $16 is below the 2.8% increase in average wages and lower than the 2014 increase of $18.70, which represented a 3% increase.
While unions are disappointed the full $27 per week was not passed on, the reality is the $16 a week pay rise unions have won is the only pay rise minimum wage works will receive and is well above the $5 a week increase some employer groups were arguing for.
Key facts:
The minimum wage has increased from $640.90 to $656.90 per week, or from $16.87 to $17.29 per hour;
Two-thirds of all award-only workers who are reliant on the minimum wage are employed in four key industries: Retail trade, in Accommodation and food services, in Health care and social assistance and in Administrative and support services;
57.5% of workers reliant on a minimum wage are women;
18.8% of the workforce (1.86 million Australians) is paid the national minimum wage or an award minimum wage.
Quotes attributable to ACTU Secretary Dave Oliver:
"Thanks to unions over 1.8 million of Australia's lowest paid workers will receive an increase to their wages from today."
"While every dollar helps, unfortunately there are still more than 1.8 million Australian workers and their families who are struggling to afford the basics on minimum wages that are at a record low as a percentage of average weekly earnings."
"It was disappointing that the Fair Work Commission decided to turn a blind eye to the wages gap in Australia with average wages continuing to grow faster than minimum wages."
"Many minimum wage earners have been working all their lives caring for older Australians in aged or community care, working farms, cleaning schools and hospitals or looking after young children in childcare, they deserve to earn a decent wage."
"Workers should check their pay slip and make sure the increase has been passed on and if not then they need to be asking why."