Calls from business lobby groups for the wages of low paid workers to be frozen are the ultimate hypocrisy considering the outrageous bonuses paid to executives, the ACTU says.
Unions are seeking a $21 a week pay rise for low paid workers to stimulate the economy and safeguard jobs in the economic downturn.
The ACTU’s claim would lift the Federal Minimum Wage from the current $543.78 to just $564.78 per week, or only $14.86 per hour.
Mr Lawrence said it was the height of hypocrisy for business groups to be advocating a pay freeze for the most vulnerable workers, when remuneration for top CEOs averaged $3 million last year.
ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence said:
"The hypocrisy of the business lobby groups is breathtaking.
"The incomes of more than a million minimum wage earners have gone backwards in real terms in the past three years under WorkChoices with some minimum wage workers losing as much as $77 a week.
"At the same time, CEO pay packages have increased by more than a $1 million since 2000, and the total remuneration of senior managers has risen by more than 15% over the past three years alone.
"Just last week, these same employer lobby groups jumped to the defence of the excessive salaries, bonuses and ‘golden handshakes’ paid to corporate executives and said there was no case for any regulation or restraint on what CEOs take home."
Mr Lawrence said the ACTU’s $21 a week claim amounted to only a 55 cent an hour increase and would still leave many workers earning less than $15 an hour.
"In tough economic times it’s even more important that the wages and the living standards of the low paid are protected," Mr Lawrence said.
"A pay rise for low paid workers is absolutely consistent with the stimulus approach adopted to deal with the Global Financial Crisis by a range of economists, the IMF and the Federal Government.
"A pay freeze would be unfair for workers and damaging to the economy as well," said Mr Lawrence.
ACTU
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