FairWork Commission announces increase to minimum wage

The Australian FairWork Commission has announced a rise to the national minimum wage of $13 per week or an increase of 1.75 per cent. Under the changes, full-time workers on minimum wage will earn $753.80 a week or $19.84 per hour. President Iain Ross said making "no increase" to wages would "amount to a real wage cut" based on data there had been an "increase in the proportion of low-paid income households". Alternatively, Mr Ross argued it would be a failure of the commission not to consider the post-coronavirus economic climate and bow to union demands of a four per cent increase. "The shock to the labour market warrants more weight being given to the potential impact of increasing minimum wages on hiring and re-employment," he said. "Awarding an increase of the size proposed by the ACTU would pose a real risk of disemployment and of adversely affecting the employment opportunities of the low-skilled and young workers." Image: News Corp Australia

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