🗞️Equal Pay: ACTU Pushes for 9% Wage Increase

group of men in orange suit standing near building during daytime

Workers in key feminised industries should receive at least a 9% pay rise in the Annual Wage Review, according to the ACTU's submission to the Fair Work Commission today.

This increase would be a crucial step in achieving equal pay for workers in occupations that have historically been undervalued on the basis of gender - including caring and professional occupations in early childhood education, education and health support services, veterinary care and home care for people with disabilities.

The 9% pay rise demand is based on the ACTU's 5% increase across all awards, plus at least an additional 4% in key low paid feminised industries.

ACTU Secretary Sally McManus said that achieving equal pay for women requires systemic change and targeted pay increases in traditionally female-dominated and historically very low paid industries.

"A 9% pay rise will not only help families struggling to keep up with the cost of living, it is also a vital first step in properly valuing the work of working women who do vital work for our community, such as educating the next generation and caring for our loved ones," she said.

"When employers push for real wage cuts while enjoying record corporate profits, they are ignoring the struggles of working women in Australia. Equal pay and cost of living increases are good for workers and good for the economy," she added.

If accepted, a full-time care worker could see their pay rise by $90 a week - a step towards equal pay, pending a full assessment. A similar assessment in the aged care sector recently found that workers needed pay increases of up to 23% to achieve pay equity.

The ACTU is also calling for a process to quickly provide interim increases while a proper assessment of underpayments is carried out in retail, pharmacy, administrative services, cabin crew and legal services, among others.

This year's annual wage review will address pay equity in line with the Albanese Government's 2022 amendments to the Fair Work Act to achieve gender equality.

The ACTU's submission also slammed employer proposals, some of which would leave some of Australia's lowest paid workers almost $1,350 worse off each year compared to the ACTU's call for a 5% pay rise.

The ACTU's demand would help workers struggling with the cost of living and begin to recover the real wages they have lost over the past three years. A worker earning the average award wage three years ago would be $5,200 better off today if wages had kept pace with inflation.

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The Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review decision will affect the pay of 2.9 million minimum and award wage workers.

New research from the Fair Work Commission shows that minimum and award wages now make up a smaller proportion of GDP and the total wage bill than they did last year, supporting the ACTU's argument that a pay rise for low paid workers would not have a negative impact on inflation.

Meanwhile, Today, trade unionists everywhere are taking a moment to pay tribute to those who have died or been injured at work. Every year, the International Day of Mourning is observed to honour the memory of those who lost their lives as a result of illness or injury sustained at work.

“Too many families have suffered the trauma of a loved one not coming home from work or contracting a fatal illness due to theit job. These are tragedies that echo through the decades and are, in many cases, preventable,” said Mark Morey, Secretary of Unions NSW.

Morey said The labour movement, here and abroad, campaigns relentlessly for better laws and safer workplaces. Every worker deserves to come home safe and well.

“Our city and State have been rocked by senseless violence in the past month. We honour all those who have risked their own health and well,” he added.

According to data from Safe Work Australia, 175 Australian workers lost their lives while doing their jobs in 2023. The International Day of Mourning provides a chance to draw attention to how preventable workplace accidents and fatalities are.

In an effort to reduce the amount of workplace incidents, SafeWork NSW is still conducting compliance activities across all industries.

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