Unions will push workplace claims to claw back the superannuation increases Tony Abbott and Clive Palmer traded away leaving huge holes in the retirement savings of millions of Australians.
“Australian workers cannot afford any delay in increasing the superannuation guarantee from 9% to 12% so we’ll fight to lock these increases in at the workplace level now,” ACTU Secretary Dave Oliver said.
“More than 4 million Australian workers are covered by enterprise bargaining agreements and unions will be fighting to get clauses into all new agreements that will see workers get the increases to their superannuation that they were counting on.
“We’ll also be seeking commitments from employers whose workers have already entered into enterprise agreements in good faith by taking into account the super guarantee increase when negotiating the wage package.”
Mr Oliver said that when negotiating workplace agreements, superannuation is a given and workers and their representatives always bargain over and above that.
“We never concede there should be a trade-off for superannuation,” Mr Oliver said.
“We won’t forgo pay rises and we won’t forgo promised increases to superannuation – we’ll be fighting so workers have a living wage and security in retirement.”
Mr Oliver the Abbott- Palmer dirty deal will see a 25 year old on average earnings, over their working life, have $100,000 less when they retire.
“Increasing the super guarantee is particularly important for low to middle income earners, especially women whose careers were interrupted while they were raising children.
“It would have delivered greater financial security for workers, addressed the problems of an ageing population, and supported the economy with investment in national infrastructure and jobs – but Tony Abbott and Clive Palmer’s dirty deal scraps all of that.
“Unions will not stand by and let the retirement savings of hardworking Australians be unfairly targeted by this Government.
“Whether that’s by delaying the super guarantee increase or scrapping the low income super contribution which helps boost the retirement savings of almost 3.6 million workers who earn $37,000 per year or less – including 2.2 million women.”
Mr Oliver said the ACTU would be updating its new enterprise bargaining toolkit to empower workers to fight back against the Government’s cruel attack on hardworking Australians.
“Employers would have already budgeted and planned for this increase in the superannuation guarantee so there is no reason for them not to do the right thing by their workers and pass it on instead of pocketing it.
“Unfortunately, we don’t expect employers to line up to give workers what they deserve so Australian Unions will fight for it.”
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