MORRISON AND LIBERALS ENCOURAGE WAGES FREEZE

BRENDAN O’CONNOR MP.
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5 years ago
MORRISON AND LIBERALS ENCOURAGE WAGES FREEZE
BRENDAN O’CONNOR MP
At a time when wages growth has hit record lows, Scott Morrison is encouraging employers to give workers a wage freeze and keep their pay packets at record lows.
 
Restaurant and Catering Australia’s call for the Fair Work Commission to freeze the minimum wage and impose a real wage cut on workers, comes as Scott Morrison and the Liberals spread fear of job losses rather than responsibly encouraging decent pay for the lowest paid Australians.
 
As was confirmed by Matthias Cormann, keeping wages low is a “deliberate design feature” of this government, and they are sending a clear message that they are on board with calls that support this belief. 
  
This economic irresponsibility, at a time when wages growth has hit record lows and everything is going up except for wages, is appalling.
 
Federal Labor believes the minimum wage should be a living wage, particularly at a time when company profits are growing five times faster than wages.
 
Increased wages, particularly for the low paid will flow through the economy, increasing consumer demand. When low paid workers get a pay rise, they spend that in the local shops. That’s good for business and good for the economy. 
 
This Government doesn’t have a single policy to grow wages and reduce inequality. 
 
Instead, they support cuts to wages through slashing penalty rates, argue against increasing the minimum wage, and deny there is an issue with insecure work.
 
Australians deserve a pay rise – and they aren’t getting one under Scott Morrison and his Liberals.             
Employment