The Guardian notes that "the Fair Work....>

AUSTRALIA: The Guardian notes that "the Fair Work Commission's president,

justice Iain Ross, has announced it will grant a 1.75% increase in the national

minimum wage, or $13 a week. The new minimum wage will be $753.80 a week or

$19.84 an hour. But the pay rise will not apply at the same time for all

workers: frontline workers will receive it from 1 July; construction and

manufacturing from 1 November; accommodation food retail tourism and aviation

from 1 February. Ross said the demands on FWC were "sharply polarised" with

unions asking for a 4% increase, peak employer bodies including AiGroup and ACCI

asking for a pay freeze, and the government wanting it to focus on business

viability and jobs. Ross said the FWC understood the economy was in a

"significant downturn" due to Covid-19 but noted that low-income households

would be "less able to meet their needs" and at greater risk of poverty without

a pay rise. Ross said the union request for a 4% rise would create the risk of

"disemployment", particularly for young workers."