There are more workers on collective agreements who are now getting better pay rises due to the
recent IR reforms that have improved collective bargaining, according to new data.
There are now 2.6 million workers covered by a current federally registered collective agreement, up by
more than 824,000 workers, or 45.8%, since the Secure Jobs, Better Pay reforms to improve
bargaining passed in December 2022.
These agreements are delivering above inflation pay rises of 3.7%, and higher than the Wage
Price Index, the national measure of wages on 3.2%, according to the Trends in Federal Enterprise Bargaining report, released by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.
Employees on collective agreements have been able to secure pay outcomes about $200 per week
more than employees not on agreements, according to ABS data.
The results come after business lobby groups and the Dutton-led opposition heavily criticised the
bargaining reforms on economic grounds. The only significant impact the reforms have had is to get
wages moving, a conclusion reinforced in a recent independent review of Secure Jobs Better Pay.
“Working people are benefiting from these reforms as they are delivering much needed pay rises. Without collective bargaining delivering decent pay rises, real wages for everyone cannot grow,” said Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) Secretary Sally McManus
The ban on non-compete clauses in employment contracts announced in the Federal Budget on
Tuesday night will also help boost annual wages for up to 3 million directly affected workers by up to 4%, an estimated $2,500 for a worker on average wages.
