Average wage rises at 4.4pc thanks to new pay deals
For the first time this year, average wage rises in agreements were four per cent or above for two fortnights in a row.
Average pay rises in new enterprise agreements were 4.4 per cent, the equal highest in the fortnightly data collected this year by the Fair Work Commission.
And for the first time this year, average wage rises in agreement approval applications were 4 per cent or above for two fortnights in a row.
The latest data covering applications lodged between July 29 and August 11 show there were 130 agreements covering more than 14,000 workers. More than 37 per cent had a higher pay rise at the start of the agreement, potentially reflecting compensation for high inflation, a sign-on bonus, or an increase to recognise long negotiations over an expired agreement delaying a rise.
Twenty-five of the agreements were lodged by a union and had an average annual pay rise of 4.8 per cent and an average length of four years. But they covered just 364 workers. Most of the agreements submitted for approval were non-union deals. Of the 105 agreements covering 13833 workers, the average pay rise was 4.4 per cent.
According to an industry breakdown of the data, one mining industry agreement covering 1467 workers had average annual pay rises of 5.4 per cent for three years. Four education agreements covering 637 employees had average annual pay rises of 4.9 per cent; and 35 construction agreements covering 590 workers had average rises of 4.7 per cent.
But that data was dominated by six agreements in health and welfare services covering 6336 workers. The average annual pay rise was 4.7 per cent for the agreement that went, on average, for 2.1 years.
Fewer jobs had wage increases in the June quarter compared to a year ago but, on average, the rises received were higher.
Average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adults were $1838 in May, an annual increase of 3.9 per cent, or $68 a week.
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