The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) is calling on the Fair Work Commission to end sub-minimum wage rates, arguing no worker in Australia should legally be paid less than the National Minimum Wage.
In its submission to the Fair Work Commission’s Annual National Minimum Wage Review, the union argues that Australia’s wage safety net is failing to live up to the country’s promise of a “fair go”, with some workers earning exploitative wages below the legal minimum due to their age, disability status, or training arrangement.
Apprentices play a critical role in building Australia’s future workforce, yet current wage structures mean some earn as little as $13 per hour. Low apprentice pay creates financial stress, discourages workers from completing their training, and undermines efforts to tackle skills shortages across key industries.
Under current award settings, junior workers can be paid reduced wages based solely on their age. Some workers with disabilities are also paid below the minimum wage and required to undergo so-called ‘productivity tests’ to determine their pay.
The AMWU argues sub-minimum wage arrangements are outdated and discriminatory, reflecting long-standing assumptions about productivity that have historically excluded many workers from equal pay protections.
The AMWU is calling on the Fair Work Commission to set one minimum wage floor for all workers — regardless of age, disability, or training status.
Quotes attributable to AMWU National Secretary, Steve Murphy:
“If we allow workers to be paid less than the minimum wage, we are saying to them we don’t value their work or their dignity. Discounting wages because someone is young sends the wrong message about the value of their work. Some apprentices are earning as little as $13 an hour while learning the trades Australia desperately needs.
“We cannot solve skills shortages while paying apprentices wages that make it hard to pay rent or buy groceries. That isn’t sustainable. If we want workers to train for the future, we must pay them fairly in the present.
“We don’t accept second-class safety standards at work, and we shouldn’t accept second-class wages either. Australia’s wage safety net should include everyone, not carve workers out. Equal work deserves equal minimum protection. Anything less undermines the idea of a fair go.
“Everyone who works deserves at least the minimum wage. It cannot be the minimum when classes of workers are paid below it. Australia’s wage system should protect workers — not legitimise paying some of them less simply because of who they are. Every worker, regardless of age, disability, or training status, must be covered by the same minimum standard.”