ACTU – Australian workers suffer another quarter of near-record low wage growth

Australian workers have suffered through another quarter of near-record low wage growth, with the Wage Price Index remaining at 2.1% (and 1.9% in the private sector) in figures released today.

The all-time record low for this measure of wage growth for full time work is 1.9%, but the Turnbull Government continues to refuse to even acknowledge that there is a wage crisis in this country.

The figures push the Budget’s delusional projections for wage growth even further out of reach.

Quotes attributable to ACTU Secretary Sally McManus:

• “The Turnbull Government has no plan to increase wages for Australian workers, and has directly contributed to cutting wages by supporting the slashing of penalty rates.
• “Wage growth of 1.9% in the private sector is a disaster for workers. We need change now to allow workers to fight for a pay rise.
• “This Government promised ‘jobs and growth’ but unemployment is still too high and the growth clearly isn’t going to working people. We need good secure jobs and increased pay for Australian workers.
• “We need to give power back to workers so they can fight for increases in pay and defend their rights at work. Australia is headed down the same path as America – insecure work and low wages.
• “We have to change the rules so that profits go to the workers who power the Australian economy, not the executives who are ripping them off.”