Unions will this week be 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.
>>> ASU members who need assistance checking their pay, please contact your workplace delegate or your ASU Branch
ACTU President Ged Kearney said workers should be seeing the increase in minimum Award wages flow into their pay packets this week.
From 1 July, about 1.5 million workers have been granted an extra 3% in their wages, helping them and their families keep pace with the cost of living, following the annual wage review by Fair Work Australia.
Workers on the minimum wage will receive an extra $18.70 a week, taking their weekly wage to $640.90 a week, or $16.87 an hour.
Ms Kearney said that for these workers, the Fair Work Australia Annual Wage Review is their only chance of a pay rise.
Workers with any doubts about whether they are being paid correctly should contact their ASU representative.
>>> ASU members who need assistance checking their pay, please contact your workplace delegate or your ASU Branch
Australian Unions have also launched a new online tool at www.checkyourpay.com.au where people can conduct a self-diagnosis to ensure they are receiving what they are entitled to.
"Now that the minimum wage has gone up, all workplace agreements and contracts will 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.
"By now, most employees should have received their first pay slip of the new financial year, and they should check their wages against the legal minimum rates to ensure they are not being underpaid."
Many workers on union-negotiated collective agreements should also receive an annual pay rise from the start of the new financial year.
"Unions encourage all workers to check their pay because unfortunately we cannot rely on all employers to automatically adjust wages in line with the minimum wages increase," Ms Kearney said.
"We understand that the system can be complicated for workers to navigate, so we are urging workers to go to www.checkyourpay.com.au or call our Australian Unions helpline on 1300 4 UNION (1300 486 466) if in doubt to get expert advice on what you should be paid – and what you should do if your pay is incorrect."
Media contact: Carla De Campo, 0410 579 575 or Kara Douglas, 0418 793 885