2025 WAIRC 00486
Building Trades and Labourers (General) Award

10. - WAGES

The rates of wages payable to the employees covered by the award (other than duly registered apprentices) shall be as follows:

(1) Base Rate and Supplementary Payment (per week)


Base Rate Per Week$
Safety Net Adjustment$
Total Rate Per Week$
(a)



(i) Bricklayers, stoneworkers, carpenters, joiners, painters, signwriters, glaziers, plasterers, plumbers, concrete tradesperson (Certificate III trade qualification), and stonemason as defined in Clause 6 of this award
376.20
623.10
999.30




(ii) Plumber holding registration in accordance with the Metropolitan Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Act
385.40
625.70
1011.10




(iii) Joiner - Assembler A (as defined in Clause 6 of this award)
344.60
611.50
956.10




(iv) Joiner - Assembler B (as defined in Clause 6 of this award)
330.70
622.30
953.00




(b) Builders Labourers:-







(i) Rigger
360.30
616.00
976.30
(ii) Drainer
360.30
616.00
976.30
(iii) Dogman
360.30
616.00
976.30
(iv) Scaffolder
345.00
611.70
956.70
(v) Powder Monkey
345.00
611.70
956.70
(vi) Hoist or Winch Driver
345.00
611.70
956.70
(vii) Concrete Finisher
345.00
611.70
956.70
(viii) Steel Fixer including tack welder
345.00
611.70
956.70
(ix) Operator Concrete Pump
345.00
611.70
956.70
(x) Bricklayer's Labourer
333.60
619.40
953.00
Plasterer's Labourer
333.60
619.40
953.00
Assistant Powder Monkey
333.60
619.40
953.00
Assistant Rigger
333.60
619.40
953.00
Demolition Worker



(after three months' experience)
333.60
619.40
953.00
Gear Hand
333.60
619.40
953.00
Pile Driver
333.60
619.40
953.00
Tackle Hand
333.60
619.40
953.00
Jackhammer Hand
333.60
619.40
953.00
Mixer Driver (concrete)
333.60
619.40
953.00
Steel Erector
333.60
619.40
953.00
Aluminium Alloy Structural Erector
333.60
619.40
953.00
Gantry Hand or Crane Hand
333.60
619.40
953.00
Crane Chaser
333.60
619.40
953.00
Concrete Gang including Concrete Floater
333.60
619.40
953.00
Steel or Bar Bender to pattern or plan
333.60
619.40
953.00
Concrete Formwork Stripper
333.60
619.40
953.00
Concrete Pump Hose Hand
333.60
619.40
953.00
(xi) Builder's Labourers employed on work other than specified in classifications (i) to (x)


953.00






(2) Special Payment:

(a) A special payment of $40.78 per week shall be paid to all employees covered by this award and shall be regarded as part of the "total rate" for all purposes.

(b) For the purpose of calculating the rate of wage payable to an apprentice the special payment prescribed in paragraph (a) hereof shall be deemed to be part of the tradesman's total rate.

(3) The rates of pay in this award include arbitrated safety net adjustments available since December 1993, under the Arbitrated Safety Net Adjustment Principle.

These arbitrated safety net adjustments may be offset against any equivalent amount in the rate of pay received by employees since 1 November 1991 above the rate prescribed in the Award, except where such absorption is contrary to the terms of an industrial agreement.

Increases in rates of pay otherwise made under the State Wage Case Principles, excepting those resulting from enterprise agreements, are not to be used to offset arbitrated safety net adjustments.

(4)
Tool Allowance: (Per Week)
$




(a) Bricklayers and Stoneworkers
15.60




(b) Plasterers
18.20




(c) Carpenters and Joiners
22.10




(d) Joiners - Assembler A or B
11.10




(e) Plumbers
22.10




(f) Painters
5.40




(g) Signwriters
5.40




(h) Glaziers
5.40

Note 1: The tool allowance prescribed in paragraphs (a) to (h) inclusive of this subclause, each include an amount of 5 cents for the purpose of enabling the employees to insure their tools against loss or damage by theft or fire.

Note 2: The abovenamed allowances shall not be paid where the employer supplied the employee with all necessary tools.

(5) Construction Allowance: (per week) $21.02. An employee shall not be entitled to this construction allowance except when required to work "on site" on any work in connection with the erection or demolition of a building or to carry out work which the employer and the union agree is construction work or in default of agreement, that is so declared by the Board of Reference.

(6) Casual Employees:

A casual employee as defined in Clause 6. - Definitions of this award, shall be paid a loading of 20 per cent in addition to the rates to which he/she is otherwise entitled pursuant to this clause.

(7) The minimum rates of pay and conditions of employment applicable to trainees will be those set out in Schedule E – National Training Wage of the Joinery and Building Trades Award 2020 as amended from time to time. Provided that any reference to “this award” in Schedule E to the Joinery and Building Trades Award 2020 is to be read as referring to the Building Trades and Labourers (General) Award.

Note: The Joinery and Building Trades Award 2020 is a modern award that applies to employers and employees in the national industrial relations system. The rates of pay for trainees are usually adjusted from 1 July each year.


10A. - MINIMUM WAGE - ADULT MALES AND FEMALES

(1) No employee aged 21 or more shall be paid less than the minimum adult award wage unless otherwise provided by this clause.

(2) The minimum adult award wage for full-time employees aged 21 or more working under an award that provides for a 38-hour week is $953.00 per week.

The minimum adult award wage for full-time employees aged 21 or more working under awards that provide for other than a 38-hour week is calculated as follows: divide $953.00 by 38 and multiply by the number of ordinary hours prescribed for a full-time employee under the award.

The minimum adult award wage is payable from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2025.

(3) The minimum adult award wage is deemed to include all State Wage order adjustments from State Wage Case decisions.

(4) Unless otherwise provided in this clause adults aged 21 or more employed as casuals, part-time employees or piece workers or employees who are remunerated wholly on the basis of payment by results, shall not be paid less than pro rata the minimum adult award wage according to the hours worked.

(5) Employees under the age of 21 shall be paid no less than the wage determined by applying the percentage prescribed in the junior rates provision in this award (if applicable) to the minimum adult award wage, provided that no employee shall be paid less than any applicable minimum rate of pay prescribed by the Minimum Conditions of Employment Act 1993.

(6) The minimum adult award wage shall not apply to apprentices, employees engaged on traineeships or government approved work placement programs or employed under the Commonwealth Government Supported Wage System or to other categories of employees who by prescription are paid less than the minimum award rate, provided that no employee shall be paid less than any applicable minimum rate of pay prescribed by the Minimum Conditions of Employment Act 1993.

(7) Liberty to apply is reserved in relation to any special category of employees not included here or otherwise in relation to the application of the minimum adult award wage.

(8) Subject to this clause the minimum adult award wage shall –

(a) Apply to all work in ordinary hours.

(b) Apply to the calculation of overtime and all other penalty rates, superannuation, payments during any period of paid leave and for all purposes of this award.

(9) Minimum Adult Award Wage

The rates of pay in this award include the minimum weekly wage for employees aged 21 or more payable under the 2025 State Wage order. Any increase arising from the insertion of the minimum wage will be offset against any equivalent amount in rates of pay received by employees whose wages and conditions of employment are regulated by this award which are above the wage rates prescribed in the award. Such above award payments include wages payable pursuant to enterprise agreements, consent awards or award variations to give effect to enterprise agreements and over award arrangements. Absorption which is contrary to the terms of an agreement is not required.

Increases under previous State Wage Case Principles or under the current Statement of Principles, excepting those resulting from enterprise agreements, are not to be used to offset the minimum wage.

(10) Adult Apprentices

(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of this clause, the minimum adult apprentice wage for a full-time apprentice aged 21 years or more working under an award that provides for a 38-hour week is $791.30 per week.

(b) The minimum adult apprentice wage for a full-time apprentice aged 21 years or more working under an award that provides for other than a 38-hour week is calculated as follows: divide $791.30 by 38 and multiply by the number of ordinary hours prescribed for a full-time apprentice under the award.

(c) The minimum adult apprentice wage is payable from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2025.

(d) Adult apprentices aged 21 years or more employed on a part-time basis shall not be paid less than pro rata the minimum adult apprentice wage according to the hours worked.

(e) The rates paid in the paragraphs above to an apprentice 21 years of age or more are payable on superannuation and during any period of paid leave prescribed by this award.

(f) Where in this award an additional rate is expressed as a percentage, fraction or multiple of the ordinary rate of pay, it shall be calculated upon the rate prescribed in this award for the actual year of apprenticeship.