Unions have slammed Western Australia’s minimal wage improve as “disappointing”, warning staff might transfer elsewhere because the state’s award falls beneath the federal minimal.
From July 1, the state minimal wage for workers aged 21 and over will improve 5.3 per cent – letting staff taking dwelling an extra $43.50 of their weekly pay slip.
That determine is well-below the nationwide wage rise of 5.75 per cent.
Unions WA State Secretary Owen Whittle stated he was “extremely disappointed and angry” on the choice, calling for the minimal award to match the nationwide inflation price of seven per cent.
“It is going to help (with the cost of living crisis) but it’s still below inflation,” he informed 6PR’s Oly Peterson.
“Cost of living is still increasing.
“We know that a lot of workers, particularly those in retail areas, are spending between 65 and 70 per cent of their minimum wage earnings on rent and housing costs.”
Mr Whittle stated it was “unheard of in recent times” for the state’s minimal wage price to fall beneath the federal’s, which is able to improve by 8.6 per cent within the new monetary 12 months.
“Australia has a pretty mobile labour market – people are pretty happy to move for work,” he stated.
“There is such a competition for labour in our economy that if WA is offering lower wages than other states and territories then what you’ll actually see is workers who are struggling … just pack up and move elsewhere to work.”
According to SQM Research’s Weekly Rents Index, as of June 12 rental costs in Perth have elevated 18.9 per cent over the previous 12 months.
Mr Whittle stated whereas any pay improve will assist these struggling amid the price of dwelling disaster, wages wanted to be above inflation to permit Aussies to combat rising prices.
“It needs to be far larger to ensure that workers who are putting such big chunks of their pay into things like housing and other essential items … match those increases in costs,” he stated.
The union spokesman stated staff within the retail and hospitality sectors, in addition to these in small companies, had been the worst impacted.
While unions plan to petition the federal government to extend pay packets and informal loading, they are saying the blame for inflation is being unfairly laid on the ft of minimal wage staff.
“These (increases) are having such an impact on ordinary working people while at the same time we’re seeing corporate profits go through the roof,” Mr Whittle stated.
“Stop looking at the pay packets of low paid workers as the cause of inflation – they’re not.
“These are workers that are struggling to get by, (we) need to be looking at other places.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
