On 16th June 2021 the Fair Work Commission announced an increase of 2.5% to the minimum wage. For hospo workers this wage will be delivered on 1st November rather than 1st July as usual.
This is not the win we were fighting for. But increasing our wages in this climate is still an important win. Hospo bosses wanted to freeze our pay for the whole year. They failed. Union members stopped them in their tracks.
Instead the increase will be delayed until November 1st. This delay is bad for workers, business and our economy.
However the decision to increase wages shows that our movement has real power. We need to keep getting bigger and louder so we have to power to fight all wage freezes and delays, and raise wages up to a fair and decent standard so all workers in our industry are paid a living wage.
Join your union to fight back! www.hospovoice.org.au/join/
I’m Dylan, a member of Hospo Voice and chef of 9 years.
Like many other workers, the past 12 months have been financially tough for me. As a migrant worker, the pandemic has severely impacted my income. We were deemed essential workers, yet were not compensated appropriately for the risks we took.
Inflation and cost of goods are going up, prices and rent are high. And now employer groups want to freeze wages again.
Bosses wants to keep costs low so they can maintain their profit. Even in this time of crisis when so many hospitality workers have suffered.
All workers deserve to have a dignified life and be able to afford their basic necessities.
Stand with me to demand the pay rise we deserve this July. Add your name to the petition to defend our yearly pay increase now.
Why is this important?
For over 10 years, the Restaurant and Catering Association has been fighting to freeze hospitality wages. Year on year, submission on submission, they request that the Fair Work Commission hand out a 0% wage increase to restaurant and cafe workers.
In 2020 they won – delaying our annual wage increase by 9 months.
For the average Casual level 2 worker* that was a loss of $739.83 in wages and $70.28 in superannuation.
They cited the pandemic as the cause for the delay. But looking into their submissions, they’ve been asking for a 0% increase as far back as 2011. And they’re asking for it again.
“R&CA submits that any increase in the National Minimum Wage for those awards covered under the Group 3 tier should not occur until 1 February 2022.”
Freezing the minimum wage again will result in a $980.72* wage cut to the average casual worker*. Another stab in the back for workers already facing the crisis of insecure and casual work.
We can’t stand by and let them give us another wage cut. It’s time to stand together and fight for the future of hospitality. Sign our petition today to demand the pay rise we deserve this July.
*working 3 weekday shifts and 2 weekend shifts at 7.6hrs per shift.
*Assumming 1.75% inflation
