April 2013

The Australian Catholic Council for Employment Relations (ACCER) seeks percentage wage increases for all award classifications that provide wage rates equal to or more than the base tradesperson's (C10) wage rate, currently $706.10 per week. For all classifications below that rate, ACCER seeks a money increase equal to the money amount by which the base tradesperson's wage will increase as a result of the claimed percentage adjustment. An increase of 3.0%, for example, would amount to $21.20 per week. This will give the lowest paid workers an increase slightly in excess of the percentage increase in prices and the interim productivity adjustment.

National Minimum Wage

The ACCER seeks that the National Minimum Wage be adjusted in a similar way to award wages and that it be adjusted by a further amount of $10.00 per week.

Read the full submission: Submission to the Annual Wage Review 2012 - 2013

September 2012

The Fair Work Amendment (Small Business-Penalty Rates Exemption) Bill 2012 (the Bill), introduced by Senator Xenophon, proposes a fundamental change to the national award safety net system. If enacted it would remove penalty rates from the awards covering small businesses (as defined) in the restaurant, catering and retail industries and would reduce the rights and incomes of many low paid and vulnerable workers. The rationale for the Bill is that these pay cuts will lead to increased employment in the firms covered by the proposed legislation.

This submission by the Australian Catholic Council for Employment Relations (ACCER) opposes the Bill under five broad headings:

a) The Bill fails to recognise the detrimental impact of unsocial working hours.
b) The Bill proposes unfairness and discrimination.
c) The rationale of the Bill is not supported by evidence or economic analysis.
d) The Bill proposes a morally unacceptable means of promoting employment opportunities.
e) The objective of the Bill has been rejected: the Work Choices experience.

Read the full submission

June 2012

The Fair Work Australia Annual Wage Review Panel handed down it's decesion on the national minimum wage today.  In making this decision the Panel took into consideration economic conditions, growth and productivity over the last 12 months.

The national minimum wage will be $606.40 per week or $15.96 per hour.  The hourly rate has been calculated on the basis of a 38 hour week for a full-time employee.  This constitutes an increase of $17.10 per week or 45 cents per hour.  Minimum wages in modern awards will be increased by 2.9%.  The increase will apply from the first full pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2012.

Read the full decision