Minimum wage set to rise $13 a week
The Fair Work Commission has ordered a $13 a week increase in the national minimum wage to $753.80.
More than 2.2 million Australians will benefit from the decision that will see the hourly rate rise to $19.84 an hour.
Essential service workers will benefit from the start of next month while workers in the accommodation, food services and tourism sectors will have to wait until February 1.
The FWC said it had taken a “cautious approach” to both the timing and size of the minimum wage rise due to the effects of Covid-19 on the economy.
The rise will be below rate of inflation and is less than the 4 per cent unions wanted, who described it as “very modest”.
“However, it is clear in the decision that this panel of experts recognise that cutting wages in the middle of this crisis would be a disaster for working people and the economy and they have rejected the arguments put by some employers to effectively cut wages by freezing the minimum wage,” said Australian Council of Trade Unions, Sally McManus.
Sheridan Randall, 22nd June 2020
