June
How short sellers won big on housing pain | Canada cuts rates | US recession debate is back
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Real wage pain with no productivity gain
Despite the big rises in the minimum wage over the past three years, it has not caught up with the growth in consumer prices since the pandemic.
- The AFR View
- Updated
- Wage growth
Weak productivity halts minimum wage rise
The Fair Work Commission has warned that stalled productivity and falling profits in the retail and hospitality industries remain barriers to reversing the fall in real wages since the pandemic.
- Updated
- David Marin-Guzman
May
Budget uncertainty on minimum wage could spoil unions’ bid
The workplace umpire has complained that it has no clarity over government funding for higher minimum wages for female-dominated sectors, risking spoiling unions landmark bid for a 9 per cent increase.
- David Marin-Guzman
Budget relief comes on top of ‘decent’ wage rise: Chalmers
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has fought back against an employer push to use the budget’s cost-of-living relief to lower this year’s minimum wage increase.
- David Marin-Guzman
Bosses say budget assistance justifies smaller minimum wage increase
Employers have invoked former union chief Bill Kelty to back a moderate pay rise, saying budget relief ensures low-paid workers’ disposable income will rise.
- David Marin-Guzman
April
Union push for 9pc gender-based pay rise risks inflation: employers
Employers have lashed a landmark union push to apply gender pay principles to this year’s minimum wage increase.
- David Marin-Guzman
- Opinion
- Opinion
Lift the minimum wage and help to close the poverty gap
Almost 5 million Australians live at or below the poverty line. Even a 4.9 per cent rise would go some way to help those in insecure work.
- Michael Kennedy
March
Unions’ 5pc wage claim will keep interest rates high: business
Employers say the ACTU’s bid for a 5 per cent increase is “an open letter to the RBA to keep interest rates higher for longer”, while economists warn it will have an inflationary effect.
- David Marin-Guzman
Union push for 5pc minimum wage rise sets up pay showdown
ACTU secretary Sally McManus will argue the pay claim for 2.9 million workers will not drive up inflation.
- David Marin-Guzman
Wave of NSW wage claims up to 8pc could trigger broader pay rises
Unions want wage increases of up to 8 per cent as they prepare to negotiate new deals with railway, energy and health care workers in the most populous state.
- Samantha Hutchinson
Keep minimum wage rise to 2pc, says employer group
Business group ACCI will argue that the Fair Work Commission overcompensated for inflation last year with its record high minimum wage rise and must correct it.
- David Marin-Guzman
January
Labor and the great wage rise illusion
Labor did not cause inflation. But by celebrating higher wages with no rising productivity to back them, it is increasing the risks of inflation sticking.
- The AFR View
November 2023
Women ‘priced out of the workforce’ by childcare fees
Australian women are being priced out of work by excessive childcare fees and that is bad for them, skills shortages and the economy.
- Julie Hare
IKEA, Big W boost staff holidays to five weeks a year
The two big brands have joined major retailers like Apple and Bunnings in increasing annual leave to 25 days, as the retail union pushes for a new holiday standard.
- David Marin-Guzman
Public servants to get bonuses up to $1400 in wage deal
A much watched federal pay deal has been brokered, after a one-off payment was agreed with in principle with the key union, but union elections could derail the agreement.
- David Marin-Guzman and Tom Burton
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Cost-of-living crunch must jolt Labor’s economic policy reset
Jim Chalmers’ acceptance of the reality that inflation will be higher for longer, should now jolt Labor into reassessing its IR, fiscal and tax policy approach.
- The AFR View
September 2023
- Opinion
- Productivity
Busting the ‘wage decoupling’ myth
The link between productivity and real wages is robust. And the idea that productivity-enhancing reforms don’t matter for living standards is wrong.
- Alex Robson
August 2023
- Exclusive
- Jim Chalmers
Treasury undercooked budget wage forecasts, documents reveal
The minimum wage increase of $70.20 a week for full-time workers was 25 per cent higher than Treasury forecast in the May budget, Treasury briefings reveal.
- Ronald Mizen
- Opinion
- Australian economy
Productivity leads to prosperity – here’s how to get there
There’s a huge lesson for today’s Australia from the biggest mistake of all in the Intergenerational Reports.
- Chris Richardson