According to the statistics published by the Department of Employment on Trends in Federal Enterprise Bargaining, the average annualised wage increase in federal agreements approved by the Fair Work Commission in the December 2015 quarter dropped to a record low. 

The 2.9% average increase in the 1,231 private sector agreements approved in the December quarter is the lowest since the department began collecting data in 1991.

The average increase is 3.3% for the 14,132 current agreements as at the last day of the December quarter.

The 44 agreements approved in the December quarter in the public sector, provide average annualised wage increases of 3.2%, up from 3% in the September quarter.

Pay rises for all sectors fell to a 21-year low of 3%.

Disclaimer: The above summary is not legal advice. For more information in relation to the employee wage rates please contact NECA on 02 9744 1099.