Wages up

A ‘SEVERELY short supply’ of skilled workers has contributed to an overall wage increase for Australian employees, according to Greater Dandenong’s peak manufacturing body.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) last week revealed that Australian wages had risen by an average 3.5 per cent in the period between May 2005 and May 2006.
The ABS listed the average weekly wage for adult full-time workers, without overtime, as $1043.
For all workers it listed the average weekly wage without overtime as $829.
South East Melbourne Manufacturers’ Alliance (SEMMA) executive officer Paul Dowling said the wage increase was not surprising given inflation and skills shortages.
“From a SEMMA perspective, the wage increases shown are in line with general cost of living increases received by most workers, plus the continuing growth in the wages of skilled employees who remain in severely short supply,” he said.