The Australian Workers Union’s (AWU) national secretary, Daniel Walton, says it is “absolutely fair and reasonable” that pay increases are in line with the rising cost of living, given that there has been a decade of wage stagnation. ACTU secretary Sally McManus in turn contends that a 5.5% increase in the minimum wage would cost less than 1% of corporate profits, and notes that profit growth non-financial corporations was 21.6% in the year to March.
“The starting point for tackling inflation surely must be price and profit restraint rather than requiring workers to keep taking it in the neck,” [Electrical Trades Union acting national secretary Michael Wright] said.
“Wages have to keep up with the cost of living or else our whole society gets poorer”…
