Pay rises have hit a 12-year high with union-negotiated increases outpacing non-union deals.
Private sector pay increases are averaging 3%, the highest level since 2012, while union-negotiated wage increases are tracking higher at 4%, according to Department of Employment and Workplace Relations findings.
IEU Federal Secretary Brad Hayes said fairer bargaining laws enacted over the last two years had supported the wage outcomes.
“Unions campaigned long and hard for fairer bargaining laws, and the federal government reforms of the last two years are now paying off for workers and their families,” he said.
Mr Hayes said the IEU is responsible for negotiating over 800 separate collective agreements across the country, with over 250 in Queensland and the Northern Territory.
“The IEU has an outstanding record of delivering better pay and conditions,” he said.
“New workplace laws have helped our union extend the benefits of bargaining into areas previously left behind.”
Mr Hayes said more workers are covered by agreements, rising from 1.79 million in June 2023 to 2.21 million in June this year, with the education sector growing by over 400,000 workers.
“472,500 workers in the education sector now have the financial security of a collective agreement,” he said.
“While challenges remain with bargaining, the Labor government’s changes to workplace laws have made a big difference as union members and employers develop more agreements.
“At a time of cost-of-living pressures, this union wage premium is delivering crucial relief to union members and their families.”
View a copy of your collective agreement or find bargaining updates from your workplace sector by visiting your MyIEU member portal.
