QCU seeks $18 flow on for workers

Date: 22 July 2002

Today, (22nd July) the Queensland Council of Unions (QCU) will present its submission seeking a full flow on from the federal wage increase of $18 per week for Queensland workers.

Queensland Council of Unions General Secretary Grace Grace said the QCU welcomed the $18 a week wage rise for Australia's lowest paid and will push to flow this outcome on to Queensland workers.

"Obviously we were disappointed that it is not the $25 a week wage increase initially sought by the ACTU but it is a definite improvement on the Howard government's mean $10 a week increase proposal," she said.

"This increase will make a difference to over 350,000 Queensland workers on state awards," she said.

"An $18 a week wage rise will go along way to assisting the low paid in our workforce," she said.

Ms Grace said low paid workers had contributed to Australia's record productivity growth in recent years and deserved a decent pay rise to keep up with rising interest rates, pharmacy costs, and GST prices.

The flow-on sought will bring the minimum state award wage from $413.40 per week to $431.40 per week, an increase of about 4.3 per cent.

The QCU will seek an operative date of 1 September 2002.

Queensland government and the Australian Industry Group have filed in support of the QCU submission with employer groups, Commerce Queensland and Retail Association of Queensland, opposing the $18 per week wage increase for Queensland workers.

The QCU's submission to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commissions starts at 10.15am.

For further information

Contact:	Liz Phillips
Union:	Queensland Council of Unions
Phone:	07 3846 2468
Contact Mobile:	0407 624 475
Email:	lizp@qcu.asn.au
WWW:	http://www.qcu.asn.au

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