BASIC WAGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23225, 24 June 1937, Page 11

BASIC WAGE

INCREASE IN AUSTRALIA APPRECIABLE ADVANCE WORKERS UNDER FEDERAL AWARDS (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) MELBOURNE, June 23. (Received June 23, at 9.30 p.m.) Increases in the basic wage, averaging 5s for all Slates and covering workers under Federal awards, were granted by the Commonwealth Arbitration Court to-day. The basic wage in the cities will now be as follows: £ s. d.

The court’s judgment, which was unanimous, affects nearly the whole of industry connected with the metal trades, most State transport workers and employees of manufacturing interests. The ratio of workers interested in New South Wales is about six in every 10. The remainder are under State awards. The increase is estimated to cost the New South Wales Government an extra £500,000 a year. . TWO SECTIONS The increase will be applied in two sections in order not to bear too heavily on industry. Half will be paid at the first pay in July and the other half from the first pay in October.

The increase in the cases of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane amount to 6s a week, and in the cases of Adelaide, Perth and Hobart e 4s. About 300,000 persons will be affected in the Commonwealth.

Maritime workers, who will receive an increase of £ 1 Is 6d a month, together with pastoral and gas employees, will receive the whole increase as from the first pay in July. The rates of pay for shearers and station hands have been raised all round.

The court, in announcing its decision, said: “After grave consideration, we are of the opinion that the present degree of prosperity in the Commonwealth and the existing circumstances of the industry make desirable an appreciable increase in the basic wage.” A hurried, estimate by the Commonwealth ’Statistician is that the workers in the Commonwealth will benefit by £6,250,000 a year.

Sydney .. .. 3 18 0 Melbourne .. ,. .. 3 15 0 Adelaide .. .. 3 12 0 Perth .. .. 3 14 0 Hobart .. .. 3 14 0 Brisbane .. .. 3 14 0