The first public policy changes to boost workers' power in more than 30 years - under the Albanese Government - have coincided with an increase in nominal and real wages and a rise in workers' share of the fruits of the economy, according to the Centre for Future Work's David Peetz.
After four months of industrial action, Maurice Blackburn employees have won an 11% wage increase over three years - and a bigger 12.5% rise for those on five-figure incomes - along with six days of reproductive leave and the ability to cash out unused health and wellbeing leave.
BHP is trying to "buy" support from its OS in-house labour hire workforce for a new production agreement by offering a $10,000 sign-on bonus, according to the Mining and Energy Union, after a parallel agreement for its maintenance cohort got across the line after it put forward the same sweetener.
Cabin crew employed by Qantas in-house labour hire company Qantas Domestic are in line for base pay rises of up to $20,000 a year, while on-hire workers employed by Maurice Alexander Management and Altara and placed at the airline will win increases of up to 43%, under a settlement of the FAAA's crucial same-job, same-pay claim.
The FWC has put a global services giant's proposed new catering agreement at a Queensland mine on hold after weighing claims of casuals being parachuted in around voting time against hard evidence that it will cut workers' pay by more than $10,000 a year.
Qantas short haul pilots have voted up a deal expected to boost incomes by more than 25% over five years by fundamentally changing how they are remunerated, while the Albanese Government has approved Qatar Airlines taking a 25% stake in Virgin.
Industrial action is continuing at Maurice Blackburn after the ASU rejected the firm's latest "inadequate" pay offer, while the recently voted up agreement for rival plaintiff law firm Slater and Gordon lifts pay by 10.9% for workers, including early-career lawyers.
Victoria Police and the Police Association have until close of business today to accept a peace deal brokered by the FWC that boosts wages by 5% a year for general duties officers and 4.5% for others.
Private sector bargained pay rises have fallen below 4%, while the public sector has recorded the slowest growth in 18 months, according to new DEWR data.
A RBA research paper co-authored by board member and former FWC head Iain Ross says wage rises have peaked across all pay-setting methods, but real unit labour costs are continuing to outpace WPI growth and contribute to elevated underlying inflation, largely driven by compulsory super increases.
