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.
Ahead of the May 3 poll, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is supporting a real pay increase in this year's minimum wage case, going further than his 2022 election call for the FWC to ensure workers' pay not "go backwards".
An IR expert is anticipating a pre-election policy announcement tackling post-employment restraints, as new research reveals their chilling effect on job mobility, the financial toll on workers, and the struggle for those affected to understand and negotiate the restrictions.
More working days lost, as PABOs burgeon; Super Retail suppression orders upheld; Most rapid membership growth in youngest workers: ACTU; and NSW IRC seminar on awards.
Growth in private sector rates of pay is continuing to ease, falling from 3.6% a year in trend terms to 3.3%, while public sector growth has also dropped, according to the ABS.
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.
Union density has risen for the first time in 13 years and membership has increased by 160,000 in the past two years, while working from home appears to have stabilised at a bit more than a third of employees, new ABS data reveals.
In a bid to further reduce the gender pay gap, the Albanese Government has introduced a Bill that will require employers with 500 or more workers to set new gender equality targets, with their progress publicly available on the WGEA website and compliance required to be eligible for Government contracts.
