A “fair go all around” has long been an underlying principle in the Australian industrial relations system. However, under many modern awards, employees aged between 15 and 20 years receive only a portion of the full adult wage despite often undertaking the same work as an adult. For those junior workers who do not fall…
Tag: Minimum Wages
What changes are coming on 1 July?
With the new financial year fast approaching, businesses and human resource managers must now turn their minds to workplace planning and employee entitlements, having regard to new changes that will come into effect on 1 July 2016. National minimum wage As is required every year, the Fair Work Commission has reviewed the national minimum wage…
Labour Law and Consumer Choice
Reading this Daily Mail report of the September Slurpy day at 7-11, I have to confess surprise that there was not more fall out over the 7-11 slave labour story, which coincidentally aired on four corners less than a week ago. When something really pushes our buttons, it’s incredible what can be achieved by the…
FWC minimum wage increase – what does it really mean?
The announcement by the Fair Work Commission yesterday to increase the minimum wage was uncontroversial. The new rate of $17.29, will represent a $16 increase per week for full time employees. But what’s interesting about this is the way that it’s been described. This article suggesting that “Australia’s lowest paid workers” will have an…