The Guardian 7 November, 2007
Real wages go backwards
under WorkChoices
A new ACTU analysis shows that the award wages for more than a million low paid workers have gone backwards by up to $15.67 a week — or $814 a year — in real terms under the Howard Government’s Work Choices.
The analysis shows that the pay rise that workers reliant on award minimum wages got in October by the Howard Government’s Fair Pay Commission did not meet increases in the cost of living.
Interest rates and rents are going up, petrol is up, food and other basics are all going up but the living standards of working families are going backwards as a result of Work Choices said the ACTU.
This is another sign that Work Choices is taking Australia down the United States path of large numbers of workers earning poverty-level wages and forced to survive on tips said ACTU President Sharan Burrow.
Ms Burrow said "These figures show the measly pay rise that low paid award workers got last month from the Howard Govt’s wage setting body was not enough to cover rising housing costs, petrol, food and other basics.
"The Fair Pay Commission is giving John Howard and Peter Costello exactly what they wanted — reduced wages — but this is at the expense of lower living standards for working families.
"John Howard knew that Work Choices would put downward pressure on workers’ wages but he went ahead with his extreme IR laws anyway.
"This week John Howard also confirmed that if he is re-elected he will go further with Work Choices and cut the award safety net. He also refused to rule out changes to the ‘fairness test’ after the election.
"John Howard and Peter Costello cannot be trusted — they will go further on industrial relations and make it even harder for workers if they are re-elected", said Ms Burrow.