2025 WAIRC 00525
Draughtsmen's, Tracers', Planners' and Technical Officers' Award 1979 - The

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.




7. - WAGES

The following shall be the minimum rates of wages payable to employees covered by this Award -

(1) Trainee Draughtsperson (expressed as a percentage of the "First Year of Experience" rate of wage provided in subclause (3)(a) of this clause, and calculated to the nearest ten cents)


%
17 years of age and under
52
18 years of age
62
19 years of age
75
20 years of age
88

(2) (a) 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.


Wage Per Week
Arbitrated Safety Net Adjustment
Total Rate Per Week
Adult Tracers
$
$
$
First year of experience
331.70
621.30
953.00
Thereafter
343.80
611.40
955.20






(3) Adult Employees



Wage Per Week
Supple-mentary payment
Arbitrated Safety Net Adjustment
Total Rate Per Week
(a)
Draughtsperson-Detail Assistant





Survey Draughtsperson





Planning Assistant





Technical Assistant





Assistant Estimator





First year of experience
363.60
34.10
626.80
1024.50

Second year of experience
378.10
27.60
629.10
1034.80

Third year of experience
399.60
18.80
638.40
1056.80

Fourth year of experience
419.60
11.60
643.20
1074.40

Thereafter
440.30
3.10
648.10
1091.50







Provided that where an employee has been classified in a higher tradesperson classification such as toolmaker or patternmaker immediately prior to being classified as a draughtsperson - detail or assistant survey draughtsperson, he/she shall commence on the second year of the scale.



Wage Per Week
Arbitrated Safety Net Adjustment
Total Rate Per Week
(b)
Draughtsperson-Senior Detail




Survey Draughtsperson




Planning Technician




Technician Estimator




First year of experience
452.50
651.30
1103.80

Second year of experience
468.80
654.50
1123.30

Thereafter
485.40
660.90
1146.30





(c)
Draughtsperson-Designing/Senior




Survey Draughtsperson




Production Planner




Technical Officer




Senior Estimator




First year of experience
497.90
665.60
1163.50

Second year of experience
518.60
670.70
1189.30

Thereafter
542.90
682.40
1225.30

(4) An employee subject to this award, who in addition to their ordinary duties, is required to supervise the work of three or more employees shall, in addition to the rate prescribed herein for their class of work performed, be paid per week the following allowances -

(a)
In the case of a draughtsperson detail, assistant survey draughtsperson, planning assistant or technical assistant
32.20
(b)
In the case of a draughtsperson, senior detail, survey draughtsperson, planning technician or technician
36.90
(c)
In the case of a draughtsperson, designing, senior survey draughtsperson, production planner or technical officer
41.60
(d)
In the case of a tracer
16.40


unless such an employee is required to supervise the work of 10 or more other employees when the allowance shall be -

(i)
for an employee classified in paragraph (a) above
41.60



(ii)
for an employee classified in paragraph (b) above
45.80



(iii)
for an employee classified in paragraph (c) above
50.30



(iv)
for an employee classified in paragraph (d) above
28.20

(5) (a) The supplementary payment payable to adult employees in paragraph (a) of subclause (3) of this clause and to trainee draughtspersons in subclause (1) is pursuant to the provisions of this subclause:

(i) Shall be for all purposes of the 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 subclause, whether such payment is being made by virtue of any Order, Industrial Agreement or other agreement or arrangement.

(6) The rate prescribed for any classification in subclause (3) of this clause is not amended by subclause (5) of this clause and shall not, for the purpose of any other Award, Order, Industrial Agreement or other agreement or arrangement, be deemed to have been so amended.

(7) Structural Efficiency

(a) Arising out of the decision of 8 September 1989 in the State Wage Case and in consideration of the wage increases resulting from the first structural efficiency adjustment in Application No. 1707 of 1989, employees are to perform a wider range of duties including work which is incidental or peripheral to their main tasks or functions.

(b) The parties to this Award are committed to developing a proposal for a new wage and classification structure. In making this commitment the parties -

(i) accept in principle that the descriptions of job functions within a new structure will be more broadly based and generic in nature;

(ii) state that wage increases arising from broadbanding and any adjustment of minimum rates which may occur, are subject to absorption into existing overaward payments;

(iii) will make provisions of an exemption for employers from the requirement to pay any increases arising from the broadbanding and any minimum rates adjustments which may occur;

(iv) intend to substitute the existing provisions of Clause 7 with a new wage classification structure and to make any consequential amendments no later than November 1990 or earlier if agreed between the parties and approved by the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission;

(v) undertake that upon any variation of the award to implement a new wage and classification structure, employees may undertake training for a wider range of duties and/or access to higher levels in accordance with the definitions and training standards laid down in the award variation relating to a new classification structure;

(vi) will co-operate in any transition which may arise from the existing classification structure to a proposed new structure to ensure that any transition takes place in an orderly manner without creating false expectations or disputation.

(c) In the event that there is a claim for reclassification by an existing employee to a higher level under any new structure on the ground that the employee possesses equivalent skill and knowledge gained through on-the-job experience or on any other ground, the following principles apply -

(i) the parties agree that the existing award disputes avoidance procedure shall be followed;

(ii) agreed competency standards shall be established by the parties in conjunction with TAFE and SESDA (when operative) for all levels in any new classification structure before any claims for reclassification are processed;

(iii) an agreed authority such as TAFE and SESDA or agreed accreditation authority (when operative) shall test the validity of an employee's claim for reclassification;

(iv) reclassification to any higher level shall be contingent upon such additional work being available and required to be performed by the employer.