2025 WAIRC 00506
Clerks (Timber) Award

1B. - MINIMUM ADULT AWARD WAGE

(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.



10. - RATES OF PAY

(1) The following shall be the minimum rates of wages per week payable to employees covered by this award who, shall for the purposes of this clause, shall be graded pursuant to the provisions of Clause 10A. - Classification Structure - Skill Descriptor of this award.

(2) Base Rate (per week): $

(a) Adult Employees

Grade 1
$
1st year of experience at this grade
314.10
2nd year of experience at this grade
326.10
3rd year of such experience and thereafter
336.30


Grade 2

1st year of experience at this grade
345.50
2nd year of experience at this grade
349.10
3rd year of such experience and thereafter
354.20


Grade 3

1st year of experience at this grade
360.80
2nd year of such experience and thereafter
365.20

(b) Junior Employees

Base Rate (per week) expressed as a percentage of the base rate prescribed for the relevant year of experience at the Grade in paragraph (a) hereof appropriate to the work performed by the junior employee -


%
At 15 years of age
40
At 16 years of age
50
At 17 years of age
60
At 18 years of age
70
At 19 years of age
80
At 20 years of age
90

(3) Supplementary Payments (per week):

(a) (i) Adult Employees

In addition to the Base Rate payable pursuant to the provisions of subclause (2) of this clause, an adult employee employed in a grade listed hereunder shall be paid per week the supplementary payment prescribed in this subparagraph.

Grade 1
$
1st year of experience at this grade
660.40
2nd year of experience at this grade
666.20
3rd year of such experience and thereafter
670.80


Grade 1

1st year of experience at this grade
679.00
2nd year of experience at this grade
676.80
3rd year of such experience and thereafter
679.30


Grade 3

1st year of experience at this grade
679.70
2nd year of experience at this grade
696.40



(ii) 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.

(b) Junior Employees

A junior employee shall be paid per week a percentage of the supplementary payment prescribed for the relevant year of experience at the Grade appropriate to the work performed by the junior employee, being the percentage applicable to the age of the junior employee according to the percentage scale prescribed in subclause (2) of this clause.

(c) The amount payable to any employee pursuant to the provisions of this subclause -

(i) shall be for all purposes of this award;

(ii) shall be reduced by the amount of any payment being made to that employee in addition to the said rates otherwise than pursuant to the provisions of this clause, whether or not such payment is being made by virtue of any order, industrial agreement or other agreement or arrangement.

(d) The rate prescribed in this award for any grade of employee is not amended by this subclause and shall not, for the purpose of any other award, order, industrial agreement or other agreement, be deemed to have been so amended.

(4) Casual Employees

A casual clerk may be employed at an hourly rate for a lesser period than four weeks and shall be paid while so employed, twenty-five percent in addition to the Base Rate and Supplementary Payment prescribed by this award with a minimum engagement of four hours: Provided that, notwithstanding anything contained in this subclause, the basis and terms of employment of a casual clerk may be varied by agreement in writing between the employer and the Union.

(5) Part-time Employees

(a) A part-time employee shall be an employee engaged at an hourly rate for a lesser period per week than the hours usually worked in each establishment.

(b) Progression through the incremental levels of the appropriate grade in subclause (2) of this clause shall be strictly related proportionally in accordance with the number of hours worked, to the conditions prescribed in each establishment for full-time employees.

(c) Payment of annual leave and sick pay for part-time employees shall be strictly related proportionately in accordance with the number of hours worked, to the conditions prescribed in each establishment for full-time employees.

(6) Implementation

An employer shall grade clerical employees according to this clause and the provisions of Clause 10A. - Classification Structure - Skill Descriptors of this award no later than 19th September, 1993 and, if such grading entitles an employee to an increased weekly wage in accordance with this clause, such increase (i.e. being the amount due under this clause in excess of the actual rate which was paid immediately prior to the pay period commencing on or after 1st June, 1993) shall be implemented and paid in the following manner -

(a) where the increase to an employee is 3% or less, such increase is to be paid from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after the 1st day of June, 1993;

(b) where the increase to an employee is more than 3%, but 6% or less, half the increase shall be paid from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after the 1st day of June, 1993 and the total increase shall be paid from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after the 1st day of September, 1993;

(c) where the increase to an employee is more than 6%, but 9% or less, one third of the increase shall the paid from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after the 1st day of June, 1993, two thirds of the increase shall be paid from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after the 1st day of September, 1993, and the total increase shall be paid from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after the 1st day of December, 1993;

(d) where the increase due to an employee is greater than 9%, one quarter of the increase shall be paid from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after the 1st day of June, 1993, half the increase shall be paid from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after the 1st day of September, 1993, three quarters of the increase shall be paid from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after the 1st day of December, 1993 and the total increase shall be paid from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after the 1st day of March, 1994.