Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1993, published 80th ILC session (1993)

Minimum Wage Fixing Convention, 1970 (No. 131) - Australia (Ratification: 1973)

The Committee notes the detailed information supplied by the Government.

1. The Committee notes in particular, the information on developments in the wage-fixing system, as well as the federal Industrial Relations Act, 1988, which repealed and replaced the Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1904. It notes that section 123 of this Act empowers the Australian Industrial Relations Commission to provide for the payment of wages at a lower rate to employees who are unable to earn a wage at the prescribed minimum rate. The Committee requests the Government to indicate whether special rates have been actually fixed by virtue of this provision, and if so, to state whether consultation in accordance with Article 1, paragraph 2, of the Convention has taken place. It asks the Government to refer in this regard to paragraph 175 of the General Survey of 1992 on minimum wages.

2. The Committee notes that, while placing greater emphasis on workplace bargaining in the wage-fixing system under the above Act, the Government indicates its support for maintenance of a wage safety net to protect those unable to secure wage increases by other means. It requests the Government to indicate the concrete measures taken or envisaged to this end.

3. With reference to the previous comments, the Committee notes with interest the activities of the Clothing Industry Outwork Committee in regulating outworkers' wages. It hopes that the Government will continue to supply in future reports information on developments concerning this Outwork Committee in connection with the rates of pay for outworkers.

4. The Committee also notes with interest that, in the State of Western Australia, workers in the clothing trades are now covered by the State Clothing and Allied Trades Award. It hopes that the Government will continue to supply information on further progress made in the application of the Convention to all groups of workers as yet unprotected and whose coverage would be appropriate under the terms of the Convention.