Millions of Australians will get a 3.5% pay rise from 1 July, following the Fair Work Commission (FWC) annual wage review, handed down this morning.
The national minimum wage will increase by:
- $0.85 to $24.95 per hour
- $32.10 to $948 per 38-hour week
- $1,669.20 to $49,296 per year
The increase will mostly benefit part-time and lower-paid workers covered by modern awards across sectors including retail, accommodation and food services, administration, and healthcare.
Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) Secretary Sally McManus said the decision delivers a 1.1% real wage increase, one of the largest real wage increases the FWC has awarded, allowing workers to catch up on some of what they have lost over the past give years of the inflation fight.
“The wage increase means those who are paid award wages will start to get ahead again, easing pressure on their weekly budgets and part of the stress that comes from having to cut back on the basics,” Ms McManus said.
The Health Services Union (HSU) welcomed the minimum wage rise, saying it would provide critical cost-of-living relief for health, aged care and disability workers.
“It will mean increases of around $44 per week for a full-time disability support worker, $43 per week for a full-time aged care worker, and $36 per week for a full-time pathology collector – with more increases to come for pathology collectors as a result of the gender undervaluation case,” it said in a statement.
