The Australian business community has criticised the Fair Work Commission for the latest wave of minimum wage rises, saying it would add more pressure to struggling businesses nationwide.
On June 2, the commission announced that it would lift the national minimum wage by a total of 8.6 percent from July 1, effectively raising the pay rate for lowest-paid workers from $21.38 (US$14.14) to $23.23 per hour.
The national minimum wage applies to all workers who are not covered by an award or registered agreement.
At the same time, workers who are employed via contracts or agreements will have their minimum wage increased by 5.75 percent.
The commission estimated that only 0.7 percent of Australian workers were paid the national minimum wage, while 20.5 percent were paid the minimum rates covered by modern awards….