Average pay rises in EBAs at 15-year high

Average public sector wage increases also reached 5.2 per cent, the highest quarterly figure since 2004.

Average pay rises in new enterprise agreements have hit a 15-year high of 4.3 per cent.

Average pay rises in new enterprise agreements have hit a 15-year high of 4.3 per cent, with average public sector wage increases reaching 5.2 per cent, the highest quarterly figure since 2004, official data reveals.

It is the first time average pay rises in agreements have exceeded 4 per cent in consecutive quarters since 2008-2009, when the Rudd government was in power.

Average pay rises exceeded 3 per cent in just one quarter under the past five years of the previous Coalition governments between 2017 and 2022.

The enterprise agreement data came as Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers released an analysis by the Treasurer’s office showing an average of more than one thousand jobs had been created each day under the current federal ­government. Dr Chalmers said more than 750,000 jobs had been created over the life of the Albanese government.

“Inflation is the lowest in two years, unemployment is the lowest in six months, real wages are growing ahead of schedule, and we have tax cuts flowing from the first of July,” he said.

“This means more people are working, more people are earning more, and more people will be keeping more of what they earn as well.”

The latest trends in enterprise bargaining released by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations for the December quarter show the big increase was driven by agreements reached by the University of NSW, with more than 11,000 academic and professional staff that deliver average annual pay rises of 6.3 per cent.

The overall 4.3 per cent figure is the highest quarterly average pay rise in agreements since 2009. ­Average private sector agreement increases in the latest quarter were 3.8 per cent, and 3.9 per cent for agreements struck throughout the four quarters of 2023.

In contrast, average private sector increases in agreements struck under the Coalition reached 3 per cent in just three quarters between 2017 and 2022.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Church, which employs more than 220,000 workers in health, aged care, education, welfare and administration, has called for a 4.9 per cent rise in the minimum wage to provide the low-paid with a decent standard of living,

“Notwithstanding the Catholic Church’s status as a substantial employer, these submissions are advanced in support of the position and underpinning belief that workers have a right to wages that will support themselves and their families to a dignified standard of living,” the submission by the Australian Catholic Council for Employment Relations says.

“The Catholic Church has a long history of advocating for a safety net minimum wage which provides workers with wages that provide for a fair and decent standard of living. The idea that working people and their families live in poverty is inconsistent with safety net principles.”

In its submission to the Fair Work Commission, the Australian Retailers Association has called for a 3.1 per cent increase in the minimum wage – higher than rival employer groups – arguing the amount would address cost of living pressures for workers without increasing business costs.

The ARA call follows other business groups pushing for a rise ranging from below 2 per cent to 2.8 per cent.

The ARA said its position was broadly in line with the Reserve Bank’s 3.6 per cent inflation forecast minus the 0.5 per cent superannuation increase from July.

Master Grocers, whose members include IGA, FoodWorks and Mitre 10, said this year’s increase should be capped at 2.7 per cent, claiming independent retailers were unable to withstand losses that established large competitors could sustain.