Collective agreement coverage soars to record 2.8 million workers

14 October, 2025

Australian workers are reaping the benefits of sweeping industrial relations reforms introduced by the federal Labor government, with a record number of workers now covered by collective bargaining agreements. 

A new report shows a record 2.8 million workers in Australia are now covered by a union-negotiated collective agreement, an increase of 1 million people since the Secure Jobs, Better Pay laws passed in December 2022. 

IEU-QNT Assistant Secretary/Treasurer Rebecca Sisson said the Trends in Federal Enterprise Bargaining Report showed that, unsurprisingly, collective agreements were delivering higher wages for workers. 

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