AWU construction workers win 5% pay and super rises

Thousands of AWU civil construction workers across Australia have won a 5 per cent increase in casual rates and superannuation rises in a national decision by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission.

The workers - ranging from road, tunnel, bridge and dam builders to power station, smelter and oil refinery workers - will have their casual loading increased from 20 per cent to 25 per cent.

In a second victory, the Commission reviewed the definition of ordinary time earnings and AWU workers will now get paid superannuation on their base rate and on allowances. Allowances include travel, tool, industry registration, trade, shift loading and leading hand, in charge or supervisory allowances.

The fight for the increases - which took more than a year - was initially opposed by the Master Builders' Associations of Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.

It was also contested by the Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as Business SA.

Australian Workers' Union National Secretary Bill Shorten said the increases were well deserved in an industry where permanent full-time work was not always available. The decision will also benefit workers who do not have enterprise bargaining agreements and instead rely on awards.

"Our members deserve to be adequately compensated for the job insecurity and lack of clear career progression that goes hand in hand with casual work,'' Mr Shorten said. "This will also assist thousands of workers in smaller non-city operations.''

"Casual workers have less scope to improve their pay and conditions through bargaining than other types of workers and therefore a 25 per cent loading is a suitable safety net,'' he said.

In handing down the Commission's decision [Print PR917655] Vice President Iain Ross said: "In my view the current 20 per cent loading does not adequately compensate casual employees for the loss of the entitlements and benefits which are an incident of full-time employment...I will grant the AWU's application.''