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Wage case must not be the last

12 April 2005

Unions will be pushing for a $26.60 pay rise for 1.6 million Australian workers covered by awards in the national wage case which begins today.

It is an important wage case because it will be the last of its kind if the federal government gets its way and changes the way wages are set for the low-paid.

HSU national secretary Craig Thomson said the only reason that the government wanted to stop the case going ahead in the Industrial Relations Commission was to reduce the amount award workers received every year.

"If you are earning an award wage this is the only pay rise you get a year and it is unions who have put all the effort in every year to make sure the increase is as large as possible," he said.

"Every year employers and the Federal Government argue that the lowest paid workers in our society should not get a decent pay rise and every year they lose.

"If the Government offers since 1997 had succeeded, the federal minimum wage would now be $44 a week less, at $423.40

"The Federal Government and employers have opposed the union's claim this year for a $26.60 increase and want any pay rises capped at $11 a week.

"That would actually mean a wage cut for low income workers and their families when you take into account inflation.

In health the main beneficiaries of the increases decided by the Industrial Relations Commission are Aboriginal health workers as well as some aged care and residential care workers.



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Health Services Union of Australia
hsu@hsu.net.au


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