In figures that don't align with the RBA's warnings about a wage-price spiral, new ABS figures show private sector rates of pay excluding bonuses are rising at an unchanged 3.8% a year.
The income and compensation caps for unfair dismissal claims are set to increase on Saturday, along with filing fees for a range of other applications.
The ACTU is calling on the Albanese Government to make it easier for those "misclassified" as casuals to recover their full entitlements, with its research showing casual workers earn nearly 11% less than permanent employees of the same skill level or occupation and most are in long-term arrangements.
Private sector rates of pay increased to 3.8% annually in the March quarter, up from 3.6% in the previous three-month period, according to the ABS, but relatively weak public sector rises have restricted the economy-wide movement to 3.6% in trend terms, about half the rate of inflation.
The AiG says the FWC should take into account the Budget's substantial cost-of-living relief for the low-paid in granting an increase no higher than 3.8% in this year's minimum wage case, while the Albanese Government says there are "no signs" of a wage-price spiral and reiterates its view that the real wages of low-paid workers should not "go backwards".
The Women's Economic Equality Taskforce is urging the Albanese Government to make room in the May Budget for an interim pay rise for all early childhood educators and aged care workers and to ensure primary carers accrue super while on paid parental leave.
The FWC has speculated that an energy company in the midst of a $1.5 billion buying spree "presumably has a contingency plan in place" after rejecting its bid to have thousands of new employees covered by a 12-year-old deal that would leave some on below-award wages.
The Albanese Government has outlined for the first time the details of how it might implement its "same job, same pay" proposal that it framed to ensure labour hire arrangements are not used to undercut employees' pay and conditions.
Multi-year enterprise agreements, flaws in the "standard" Wage Price Index measure and public sector pay caps partially explain recent low wages growth, which would otherwise have been up to one percentage point higher last year, according to new university analysis.
Private sector rates of pay increased to 3.6% annually in the December quarter, up from 3.4% in the previous three-month period, according to the ABS, but relatively low public sector rises have restricted the economy-wide movement to 3.3%.