The peak union body is shooting for a five per cent pay rise for the millions of Australians on minimum and award wages.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions says inflation has left workers on awards more than $5000 worse off, even when accounting for their pay rises over the past three years.

The independent workplace relations umpire is undergoing its annual wage review this week and will hear from employers, unions and governments.

The federal government has not called for a specific percentage increase and instead recommended “real wages of Australia’s low-paid workers do not go backwards”.

Inflation has been moderating from its peak in late 2022 and lifted 4.1 per cent in the 12 months to December last year.

The Fair Work Commission factors in economic conditions when setting wages, including cost-of-living pressures and their financial toll on households.

At the same time, the commission is also alert to the possibility of a wage price spiral, where inflation expectations cause workers to ask for pay increases and businesses hike prices to cover those costs.

Employer groups will also have their say on the wage review this week.

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has already advocated for an increase of no more than two per cent for both minimum and award wage workers.

The employer group says inflation has been moderating and the industrial umpire had been generous in its past two decisions.

ACTU secretary Sally McManus said the lowest paid workers were the hardest hit by inflation and businesses could afford the five per cent increase.

“When inflation goes up businesses are able to adjust their prices to protect their margins, but workers pay does not move so easily,” she said.

The union boss also said the five per cent increase would not be inflationary, with consumer prices moderating ahead of schedule even after the commission handed out the biggest minimum wage increase in four decades last year. 

The decisions in the annual wage review affect about a quarter of Australian employees, including those on industry and business specific awards and a smaller cohort on the minimum rate of pay.

This post was originally published on Michael West.