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Average Weekly Earnings fell in June qtr 2004 The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that average weekly earnings fell by 0.5 per cent in the three months to June 30, 2004, down to $747.70 per week, seasonally adjusted. "It is very unlikely that there has been a wage cut for employees at the top end, and so this new data is proof that low paid jobs are surging," said ACTU President Sharan Burrow. ACTU research shows: - Almost two out of every three net new jobs created in the last three years paid less than $600 a week - less than $31,200 a year.
- Almost one million Australians are working overtime but not being paid for it. This is an increase of almost a quarter (23.8 per cent) since 1996.
- There are now more than 2.2 million casual workers - an increase of 22 per cent since 1996.
- Part-time jobs growth continues to outstrip full-time jobs growth, with no full time jobs created in the last month, but an extra 21,600 part-time jobs. More than 28 per cent of the total workforce is now in part-time work and yet research shows there are more than 600,000 part-time workers wanting more hours of work.
Low pay, less secure jobs and 'work till you drop' are still the major trends of the Australian job market under the Howard government. The average wage for men is $892 per week, and for women it is $400 less - $590.40 per week. | Employees | in 2000 | in 2003 | net new jobs | % of net new jobs | | Earning $600 or less | 3,018,000 | 3,283,000 | 265,000 | 64.8% | | Earning $601 or more | 4,678,000 | 4,822,000 | 143,900 | 35.2% |
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