Unions are today reminding Australian workers to check they are not missing out on wage increases which should have automatically come into effect at the start of the new financial year.
ACTU President Ged Kearney said today had been declared National Check Your Pay Day to educate workers about the new annual pay rates which flow on from the effects of an increase in the minimum wages.
Workers with any doubts about whether they are being paid correctly can call the free advice service on 1300 4 UNION (1300 4 86466).
From 1 July, about 1.4 million workers have been granted an extra 2.9% in their wages, helping them and their families keep pace with the rising cost of living, following the annual wage review by Fair Work Australia.
They include about 100,000 on the minimum wage, who will receive an extra $17.10 a week extra, taking their weekly wage to $606.40 a week, or $15.96 an hour.
Ms Kearney said that for these workers, the Fair Work Australia Annual Wage Review is their only chance of a pay rise.
"Now that the minimum wage has gone up, all workplace agreements and contracts need to be checked to make sure that the rates of pay stay above the legal minimum," Ms Kearney said.
"This means that some workers on workplace agreements or over-award contracts will be entitled to a pay rise, because the award rate is the absolute minimum an employer can pay a worker.
"Workers should check their wages against the legal minimum rates to ensure they are not being underpaid thanks to the increase in the minimum wages.
"Unions encourage all workers to check their pay today because we unfortunately cannot rely on all employers to automatically adjust wages in line with the minimum wages increase.
"We understand that the system can be complicated for workers to navigate, so we are urging workers to call our Unions Australia helpline on 1300 4 UNION (1300 4 86466) to get expert advice on what you should be paid - and what you should do if your pay is incorrect."
More information is available at www.checkyourpay.com.au
Media contact:
Ben Ruse: ph (03) 9929 9927 or 0409 510 879