2025 WAIRC 00539
Engine Drivers' Minerals Production (Salt) Industry Award, 1970

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.




26. - WAGES

An employer on whom this award (or industrial agreement) is binding shall not increase the rate of wage payable to an employee on the 5th February, 1988 or otherwise vary the conditions of employment applicable to an employee on that date so as to increase that employer's labour costs except to the extent that any such increase has been authorised by the Commission after that date.

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.

(1) The minimum rates of wages payable to workers covered by this award shall be:

Classification:
Total Wage Rate $
(a) Turbine Driver
1003.10
(b) Steam Engine Drivers -

(i) whose work requires 1st or 2nd class certificate
1003.10
(ii) whose work requires a 3rd class certificate
1003.10
(c) Internal Combustion Engine Drivers -

(i) 180 kw brake power or over
1003.10
(ii) 35 kw brake power or over but under 180 kw brake power
1003.10
(iii) under 35 kw brake power
1003.10
(d) Electric Motor Attendant -

(i) on motors over 180 kw power
1003.10
(ii) on motors 70 kw power to 180 kw power incl
1003.10
(iii) on motors under 70 kw power
1003.10
Where a worker attends to two or more motors he shall be paid at a rate calculated on the aggregate kw power of such motors NOTE: Kw power shall be that shown on the maker's name plate

(e) Greaser or Oiler
1003.10
(f) Firemen

(i) attending one boiler
1003.10
(ii) attending two or more boilers
1003.10
Where two or more firemen are employed on one shift, one fireman shall be paid ten cents per shift extra.

(g) Trimmer
1003.10
(h) Scotch Derrick Crane Driver
1003.10
(i) Overhead electric crane driver who requires a certificate under the Inspection of Machinery Act
1003.10
(j) Mobile Crane Driver -

(i) lifting capacity up to and including 5 t
1003.10
(ii) lifting capacity over 5 t but not exceeding 10 t
1003.10
(iii) lifting capacity over 10 t but not exceeding 20 t
1003.10
(iv) lifting capacity over 20 t but not exceeding 40 t
1003.10
(v) lifting capacity over 40 t but not exceeding 80 t
1003.10
(vi) lifting capacity in excess of 80 t
1003.10
(k) Excavator Driver -

(i) up to.5m3
1003.10
(ii) over.5m3 and up to and including 2.25m3
1003.10
(iii) over 2.5m3
1003.10




(2)
Additions to wage rates prescribed in subclause (1) of this clause.





(a) An Engine Driver, Electric Motor Attendant or Fireman engaged as hereinafter specified shall have his wage increased as follows:-





(i) attending to refrigerating and/or air compressor or compressors
15.90




(ii) attending to an electric generator or dynamo exceeding 10 kw capacity
15.90




(iii) attending to switchboard where the generating capacity is 350 kw or over
4.90




(iv) an Engine Driver who attends a boiler or boilers
15.90




(b) Workers employed on boiler cleaning inside the boiler or flues or combustion chamber shall be paid an additional rate of $0.81 cents per hour whilst so engaged.




(3)
Subclauses (3) and (4) apply whenever a State Wage Case decision is issued by the Commission, increasing adult rates of pay in State awards by a flat dollar amount.




(4)
The State Wage Case increase is to be applied to adult weekly rates of pay in this award in accordance with the following formula:

Step 1: Divide the flat dollar increase by 38 (and round to the nearest cent)

Step 2: Multiply the figure calculated in Step 1 by 40

Example: The Commission awards an $18.00 per week increase to adult weekly rates of pay

Step 1 = $18.00 ÷38 = $0.47
Step 2 = $0.47 x 40 = $18.80

In this example adult weekly rates of pay would be increased by $18.80 per week.