We’ve won a pay rise for millions of workers today

Today the Fair Work Commission announced that workers on the national minimum wage will receive a pay rise of 8.6 per cent. Workers on Award wages will have their pay increased by 5.75 per cent. Both of those increases will come into effect in the first pay period after 1 July 2023.

The union movement fought hard for this pay increase. Up against us were the big business lobby – who argued for a real-wage cut.

All union members should be proud of this pay rise. It’s the largest increase to minimum and Award wages in Australia’s history.

It’s what unions do – we use our strength in numbers to ensure that working peoples’ pay gets moving again.

Increasing pay is the most important step to reducing the impact of the cost-of-living crisis.

That’s why we’re not stopping.

There are still more than 8.5 million workers who don’t know where their next wage rise is coming from, despite the cost-of-living crisis and big business profits being at record highs.  

Unions are continuing to stand up and take action to improve wages and job security for all workers.  

If you want to see that change, together we can take action to make it happen. 

There are two things you can do right now: 

Firstly, we need to make sure that as many people as possible know about the important pay rise for millions of workers. You can share this article on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Secondly, if you’re not yet a union member (or if a workmate or family member is not yet a union member), join today and take control of your working life. We’ve made your membership application simple and quick online here.  

The pay increase announced today will benefit one in four workers across Australia.  

After 10 years of anti-worker law changes by the previous government, our work laws have too many loopholes that big businesses use to lower wages.  

Unions will not rest while we have work laws that leave minimum wage workers living in poverty, delivers real wage cuts for the average worker, and gives massive power businesses to increase executive pay and profits.  

It’s everyday people like you and the almost two million union members – people power – who will make sure we build a better, fairer society, and an economy that supports working people and our communities.  

That starts with ensuring workers have decent wages. 

If you’re not already a member, join today. There’s strength in numbers, and by joining you’ll build our collective strength to win better wages, not just for yourself but for everyone.