Workers’ Mail: Australian Workers’ Wages are Going Backwards.

(source)

ACTU media release:

Workers’ wages in Australia are more than remaining dismally stagnant – they are in fact going backwards in real terms.

The latest Wage Price Index data released today shows that real wages have fallen by 2.1% over the last 12 months. In this quarter, wages growth has been only 0.4%, while inflation in Australia has increased to 3.8%.

In addition to those shocking figures, the public sector recorded wages growth of only 1.3% this year - its lowest annual rate of wages growth since the ABS started tracking this in 1997.

Prof. Bill Mitchell gives a panoramic view of the Australian labour market: wages, employment.

----------

Let’s see if I get this straight. With the borders closed, Oz went through a year+ with no immigration. No visa workers. According to David Llewellyn-Smith and Leith van Onselen that would have brought a new golden age of wage growth for Aussie workers. 

Employment did go up but wages went down. How come? Wasn’t this just a matter of supply and demand?

Scotty from Marketing’s handling of the pandemic may have been inept. Josh Fraudenberg may be an incompetent manager of the economy. But, boy, are those blokes doing good by their constituency.

Visa workers are only a part of the explanation. It remains to be seen how big or small. 

Me? It ain’t the whole story, but I say the anti-union Jihad from Labor and COALition, with a little help from their friends in the RBA and in the online commentariat, is a part -- maybe even a big part -- of it.

So, while you’re here, join your union. There is strength in union.

----------

The Megaphone team/Australian Unions explain:

“Australia needs to be vaccinated as soon as possible. But we’re running last in the race to get it done.

“We won’t reach the required levels of COVID vaccination without both significantly increased vaccine supply and a rollout program that doesn’t rely on workers to try to get the jab on weekends or during lunch breaks.

“Why is this important?

“The latest plan from the Morrison Government predicts 2 million jabs per week from September. But too many employers are not allowing workers to take the necessary time off to get the job. Those at the greatest risk include casuals and low paid essential workers.

“No worker should have to choose between getting vaccinated and paying the bills.”

You can support those workers by siggning the petition.