One of the key issues facing members in this year’s federal election is a range of legislation introduced over the past three years aimed at supporting workers. One such piece of legislation is the “same job, same pay” policy introduced by the Albanese government. This legislation ensures that if labour hire employees are working alongside employees under an Enterprise Agreement at the same site, the agency workers must receive equal or better pay.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with one of our members, Tee, who works at a large distribution centre in Brisbane. Tee previously worked for an agency that paid lower rates than the site’s Enterprise Agreement.
Thanks to the SDA’s advocacy, we were able to use the ‘same job, same pay’ legislation to secure Tee and her colleagues the same pay as those covered by the Agreement—resulting in an increase of $8 to $13 per hour for these workers. Tee shared with us what this pay increase has meant for her and her family:
It’s been an improvement for my wellbeing. But not only that, it’s actually helped me with many things outside of work. But it’s improved our living status as well.
I’ve been able to do things with my children and my husband that months ago or years ago I couldn’t do because we didn’t have the funds or the means to go and do that sort of stuff. My children now play sports, we do things as a family that we couldn’t do before. It has helped us significantly.
As a parent you want the best for your children and you also want the best for your friends that you work with, your workmates. And the reason why joined our SDA was because I strongly believe that they do help.
And they’ve helped my family and my workmates get what we need. After the increase last year, I was offered a full-time contract and that was the outcome of the raise.
It has helped us significantly because of that increase and the support from the SDA. So, the SDA’s persistence and hard work, it really means a lot for myself, my whānau and our work colleagues.
Thank you.
There’s a lot of people in my position and my friends’ position, my workmates, colleagues, that’s what we want is stability and joining the SDA, I have got that stability and that was through getting the raise and that’s we offered permanent full -time work where I work. – Tee
The ‘same job, same pay’ legislation has benefited thousands of people across the country, improving their work-life balance and overall quality of life. In fact, a recent report1 by the McKell Institute found that the legislation is likely to contribute an aggregate annual wage uplift of up to $920.3 million in a ‘middle of the road’ scenario, and well over $1 billion in a generous scenario.
It’s not just good for workers wages – it’s also good for the economy, as the report by the McKell Insitute states the Same Job, Same Pay legsilation could indirectly make an economic contribution of up to $2.556 billion per year, based on an aggregate annual wage uplift of $920.3 million.
By Justin Power
SDA State Secretary