Real wages falling for workers, union-commissioned poll finds

The Australian 12:00am August 10, 2018

Ewin Hannan

Four out of five workers did not receive a pay rise or endured a real wage cut in the past year, ­according to union-commissioned polling that found low wages growth was set to be a significant ballot box issue for voters at the next federal election.

The ReachTel polling of 2453 residents across Australia included 36 per cent who said they would vote for the Coalition at the next poll.

Twenty-eight per cent said low wages growth would be the top issue when they voted, and 54 per cent said it would be an important issue.

Of those surveyed, 62 per cent, or 1528 people, said they were working. Almost half of those said they had not received a pay rise in the past year, while 33 per cent said they received a wage increase but it was not enough to cover increases in the cost of living. Just 19.5 per cent of those working said they got a pay rise that covered increases in their cost of living.

ACTU secretary Sally McManus said the polling showed the Turnbull government was out of touch with workers who were struggling “to keep their heads above water”.

“Working people need the tools and power to win fair pay rises,’’ she said.

“The enterprise-only bargaining system is failing, with a large majority of working people reporting either no increase or inadequate increases in the past year. Our system is out of balance: big business has too much power and employers can just say no to fair pay rises.”

Former prime minister John Howard last week acknowledged the potential for voter unrest about low wages in an address to the Australian Mines and Metals Association.

“Levels of unemployment in Australia now are much lower than people thought would be the case when the global financial crisis hit,’’ he said.

“We have achieved something of a trade-off between subdued real wage rises against higher unemployment.

“In many respects that is to be welcomed, although the reality is that if wage rises remain subdued or non-existent, you do produce what can only be called a very grumpy and discontented, irritable middle-class, who see the value of their wages remaining subdued and although their job security may be higher, that is in a sense taken for granted.”