2025 WAIRC 00661
Transport Workers (General) Award No. 10 of 1961


4.1. - MINIMUM ADULT AWARD WAGE

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

4.1.2 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.

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

4.1.4 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.

4.1.5 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.

4.1.6 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.

4.1.7 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.

4.1.8 Subject to this clause the minimum adult award wage shall –

4.1.8.1 Apply to all work in ordinary hours.

4.1.8.2 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.

4.1.9 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.

4.1.10 Adult Apprentices

4.1.10.1 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.

4.1.10.2 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.

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

4.1.10.4 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.

4.1.10.5 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.

4.1.10.6 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.



4.2. - RATES OF PAY

The following shall be the rates of wages payable to employees covered by this Award. The total minimum weekly wage rate shall be the amount specified in the "Total Per Week" column in this clause for the appropriate grade or sub-grade from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2025.

4.2.1

Grade
Base Rate 
Supple-
mentary
Payment
$
ASNA
$
Total
Per
Week
$
Grade 1
314.30
44.90
615.70
974.90
Grade 2
327.70
46.80
620.30
994.80
Grade 3
334.40
47.80
622.30
1004.50
Grade 4
344.50
49.20
625.90
1019.60
Grade 5
351.10
50.20
627.70
1029.00
Grade 6
357.90
51.10
630.10
1039.10
Grade 7
Driver low loader over 43 tonnes GCM
(For each additional complete tonne over
43 an extra 79 cents as part of the weekly
wage rate for all purposes shall be
payable)
364.60
52.10
634.70
1051.40
Grade 8
381.20
54.50
645.20
1080.90
Grade 9
391.30
55.90
649.50
1096.70
Grade 10
For each additional complete tonne over
95 an extra 79 cents as part of the weekly
wage rate for all purposes shall be payable
408.00
58.30
656.40
1122.70

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

4.2.2.1 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.

4.2.2.2 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.

4.2.3 The supplementary payments prescribed in 4.2 - Rates of Pay are in substitution for over-award payments as defined to the extent of any Award wage increase arising out of minimum rates adjustments and broad banding increases arising out of the September 1989 State Wage Decision.

4.2.4 "Over-award payment" is defined as the amount (whether it be termed over-award payment, attendance bonus, service increment, or any term whatsoever) which an employee would receive in excess of the Award wage which applied immediately prior to the introduction of supplementary payments for the classification in which such employee is engaged. Provided that such payment should exclude overtime, shift allowances, penalty rates, disability allowances, fares and travelling time allowances and any other ancillary payments of a like nature prescribed by this Award.

4.2.5 Junior Employees:

4.2.5.1 Rates of pay (per cent of the total wage payable to an adult employee for the class of work performed)


%
Under 19 years of age
70
Under 20 years of age
80
20 years of age
100


4.6. - SUPPORTED WAGE SYSTEM

4.6.1 This clause sets out the provisions to apply to employees who because of the effects of a disability are eligible to be employed under the Supported Wage System in accordance with this clause.

4.6.2 Definitions

In the context of this clause, the following definitions shall apply:

4.6.2.1 "Supported Wage System" means the Commonwealth Government system to promote employment for people who can not work at full award wages because of a disability, as documented in 'Supported Wage System: Guidelines and Assessment Process'.

4.6.2.2 "Accredited Assessor" means a person accredited by the Management Unit established by the Commonwealth under the Supported Wage System to perform assessment of an individual's productive capacity within the Supported Wage System.

4.6.2.3 "Disability Support Pension" means the Commonwealth pension scheme to provide income security for persons with a disability as provided under the Social Security Act 1991, as amended from time to time, or any successor to that scheme.

4.6.2.4 "Assessment Instrument" means the form provided for under the Supported Wage System that records the assessment of the productive capacity of the person to be employed under the Supported Wage System.

4.6.3 Eligibility Criteria

4.6.3.1 Employees covered by this clause will be those who are unable to perform the range of duties to the competence level required within the class of work for which the employee is engaged under this Award, because of the effects of a disability on their productive capacity and, who meet the impairment criteria for receipt of a Disability Support Pension.

4.6.3.2 The clause does not apply to any existing employee who has a claim against the employer which is subject to the provisions of workers' compensation legislation or any provision of this clause relating to the rehabilitation of employees who are injured in the course of their current employment.

4.6.3.3 This clause does not apply to employers in respect of their facility, program, undertaking, service or the like which receive funding under the 'Disability Services Act 1986', and fulfil the dual role of service provider and sheltered employer to people with disabilities who are in receipt of or eligible for a Disability Support Pension.

4.6.3.4 Provided that this exclusion shall not prevent services funded under Sections 10 or 12A of the Act referred to in 4.6.3.3, engaging persons who meet the eligibility criteria under the Supported Wages System, on work covered by this Award, where both parties wish to access the system provided all other criteria are met.

4.6.4 Supported Wage Rates

4.6.4.1 Employees to whom this clause applies shall be paid the applicable percentage of the minimum rate of pay prescribed by this Award for the class of work which the person is performing according to the following schedule:

Assessed Capacity
% of Prescribed Award Rate
10%
10%
20%
20%
30%
30%
40%
40%
50%
50%
60%
60%
70%
70%
80%
80%
90%
90%

4.6.4.2 Provided that the minimum amount payable shall be not less than $109.00 per week.

4.6.4.3 Where an employee's assessed capacity rate is ten percent, they shall receive a high degree of assistance and support.

4.6.5 Assessment of Capacity

4.6.5.1 For the purpose of establishing the percentage of the Award rate to be paid to an employee under this Award, the productivity capacity of the employee will be assessed in accordance with the Supported Wage System and documented in an assessment instrument by either:

4.6.5.1.1 The employer and the Union, in consultation with the employee, or, if desired, by any of these; or

4.6.5.1.2 The employer and an accredited assessor from a panel agreed to by the parties to the Award and the employee.

4.6.6 Lodgement of Assessment Instrument

4.6.6.1 All assessment instruments under the condition of this clause including the appropriate percentage of the Award rate to be paid to the employee, shall be lodged by the employer with the Registrar of the Commission.

4.6.6.2 All assessment instruments shall be agreed and signed by the parties to the assessment, provided that where the Union party to this Award is not a party to the assessment, it shall be referred by the Registrar to the Union by certified mail and shall take effect unless an objection is notified to the Registrar within 10 working days.

4.6.7 Review of Assessment

The assessment of the applicable percentage to be applied in respect of the rate of pay should be subject to annual review or earlier on the basis of a reasonable request for such a review. The process of review shall be in accordance with the procedure for assessing capacity under the Supported Wage System.

4.6.8 Other Terms and Conditions of Employment

Where an assessment has been made, the applicable percentage shall apply to the minimum wage rate only. Employees covered by the provisions of the clause will be entitled to the same terms and conditions of employment as all other employees covered by this Award, but be paid at the rate of wage as determined in accordance with this clause.

4.6.9 Workplace Adjustment

An employer wishing to employ a person under the provisions of this clause shall take reasonable steps to make changes in the workplace to enhance the employee's capacity to do the job. Changes may involve redesign of job duties, working time arrangements and work organisation in consultation with other employees in the area.

4.6.10 Trial Period

4.6.10.1 In order for an adequate assessment of the employee's capacity to be made, an employer may employ a person under the provision of this clause for a trial period not exceeding 12 weeks, except that in some cases additional work adjustment time, not exceeding four weeks, may be utilised where required.

4.6.10.2 During the trial period the assessment of capacity shall be undertaken and the proposed wage rate for a continuing employment relationship shall be determined.

4.6.10.3 The minimum amount payable to the employee during the trial period shall be not less than the figure defined in 4.6.4.

4.6.10.4 Work trials should include induction or training as appropriate to the job being trialled.

4.6.10.5 Where the employer and the employee wish to establish a continuing employment relationship following the completion of the trial period, a further contract of employment shall be entered into based on the outcome of assessment under 4.6.5.

4.6.11 The conditions of employment to apply during the trial period or in a continuing employment relationship shall be documented, a copy of which shall be provided by the employer to the person employed in accordance with this clause.