2025 WAIRC 00677
Wool, Hide and Skin Store Employees' Award No. 8 of 1966

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.




13. - WAGES AND CLASSIFICATION STRUCTURE

(1) Classification Structure

STOREWORKER LEVEL 1

Relativity: 90%

Pre-requisites:
* Basic interpersonal and communication skills
* Basic literacy and numeracy skills.

Skills/Duties:
* Familiar with company policies and procedures.
* Responsible for quality of his/her own work subject to detailed direction.
* Obtain knowledge and apply appropriate manual handling skills.
* Able to work in a team environment and/or under routine supervision.
* Able to exercise discretion within the limits of skills and/or training.
* Able to undertake duties in a safe and responsible manner.

The following tasks are indicative of the tasks which an employee at this level may be required to perform.
1. Core sampling (non-mechanical).
2. Feeding wool into blending machines.
3. Head marking or branding of head bale at receival or weighing.
4. Inserting lot plates or dividers.
5. Lobbing.
6. Opening or closing bales (including fadging and boodling).
7. Pushing into or taking from elevators or drops.
8. Sewing.
9. Wheeling baskets.
10. Hand trucking.
11. Use of non-licensed material handling equipment.
12. Operate wool blending machine.
13. Responsible for housekeeping in own work environment.

Promotional Criteria:
An employee remains at this level until he/she is capable of completing the tasks required of this level so as to enable him/her to be considered for promotion to the next level when a position becomes available.

STOREWORKER LEVEL 2

Relativity: 92.4%

Pre-requisites:
* Storeworker Level 1 or equivalent.

Skills/Duties:
In addition to the skills/duties required of Storeworker Level 1 the following skills/duties are required:
* Able to work in a team environment under limited supervision.
* Responsible for quality of his/her own work.
* Appropriate licence to operate required materials handling equipment, (other than crane or fork-lift rated in excess of 20000kg), (as required).

The following tasks are indicative of the tasks which an employee at this level may be required to perform.
1. Breaking out of specified bales for shipping, showing, pooling or blending.
2. Breaking out for rail trucks (including the use of mechanical aids).
3. Breaking down stacks of wool.
4. Port marking and branding of wool for shipping.
5. Operating and in charge of semi-automatic dump press.

6. Operating of all appropriate materials handling equipment (other than crane or fork-lift rated in excess of 20000kg), not requiring ancillary or incidental clerical functions.
7. Sheetman or fossicker.
8. Wool pressing.
9. Weight adjusting.
10. Handling or hanging or drying green skins (including trottering of sheepskins).
Handling hides including staking and unstacking operator and in charge of skin press.

Promotional Criteria:
An employee remains at this level until he/she is capable of completing the tasks required of this level so as to enable him/her to be considered for promotion to the next level when a position becomes available.

STOREWORKER LEVEL 3

Relativity: 94.5%

Pre-requisites:
* Storeworker Level 2 or equivalent.

Skills/Duties:
In addition to the skills/duties required of Storeworker Level 1 the following skills/duties are required:
* Understands and is responsible for quality control standards.
* Advanced level of interpersonal and communication skills.
* Keyboard skills.
* Able to perform work required with minimal supervision.
* Able to operate computerised inventory equipment (as required).

Indicative of the tasks which an employee at this level may perform are the following.
1. Sworn weigher or employee (including fork-lift driver) recording or carrying out clerical functions in receiving, weighing and delivering or shipping of bales including notifying locations of bales by radio or other electronic means.
2. In charge of an out-store.
3. Operation of semi-automatic core line.
4. Responsible for the actual packing of containers with dumped bales.

Promotional Criteria:
An employee remains at this level until he/she is capable of completing the tasks required of this level so as to enable him/her to be considered for promotion to the next level when a position becomes available.

STOREWORKER LEVEL 4

Relativity: 97%
Pre-requisites:
* Storeworker Level 3 or equivalent.

Skills/Duties:
In addition to the skills/duties required of Storeworker Level 4 the following skills/duties are required:

*Appropriate licence to operate required materials handling equipment and/or container handling equipment and/or crane, with capacity rated greater than 20000kg (as required).
*Knowledge of operation of fully automated core line operation.
*Able to operate computerised wool handling equipment (as required).
Indicative of the tasks which an employee at this level may perform are the following:
1.Operator in charge of a fully automated core line operation.
2.Operator in charge of a fully automatic Dump Press (i.e. TriPak).
3.Operator of container handling equipment rated greater than 20000kg.
4.Employee charged by employer with the responsibility of supervising and directing not more than 10 employees (not being a number of employees working as a team).
5.Classing skins, furs or hides.

Promotional Criteria:
An employee remains at this level until he/she is capable of completing the tasks required of this level so as to enable him/her to be considered for promotion to the next level when a position becomes available.

STOREWORKER LEVEL 5 - WOOL CLASSER

Relativity: 100%
Pre-requisites:
* Storeworker Level 4 or equivalent.
* Appropriate Certification.

Skills/Duties:
In addition to the skills/duties required of a Storeworker Level 4 the following skills/duties are required:
* Able to sort all types of wool to desired graded lines.
* Able to allocate bin types and calculate bin weights and percentages.
* Responsible for sorting wool to Industry Quality Control Standards.
* Understanding of operation of a Wool Re-handling Department.

Indicative of the tasks which an employee at this level may perform are the following:
1.Classing or sorting wool with or without mechanical aids.
2.Undertake appropriate recording functions.

Promotional Criteria:
An employee remains at this level until he/she is capable of completing the tasks required of this level so as to enable him/her to be considered for promotion to the next level when a position becomes available.

STOREWORKER LEVEL 6 - OVERLOOKER

Relativity: 105%

Pre-requisites:
* Wool Classer or equivalent.

Skills/Duties:
In addition to the skills/duties required of Wool Classer the following skills/duties are required:
* Proven ability to train and supervise.
* Competent to train wool classers.
* Proficient in the accurate allocation of types and component percentages and weights of all wool bales.
* Must ensure quality control standards are met by all wool re-handling personnel.
* Must ensure the efficient operation of a wool re-handling department.

Indicative of the tasks which an employee at this level may perform are the following:
Control and co-ordinate all relevant functions of a wool re-handling operation.

(2) Deleted

(3) Deleted

(4) Total Wage Rates (Adults)

The total wage rate per week for adult employees performing the work described by the classifications detailed in subclause (1) of this clause shall be as detailed in column 5 of the table below. The rates of pay in this subclause take effect from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2025.

Column 1
CLASSIFICATION
Column 2
BASE RATE
Column 3
SUPPLEMENTARY PAYMENT
Column 4
ARBITRATED SAFETY NET ADJUSTMENTS
Column 5
TOTAL RATE
Storeworker Level 1
328.70
46.80
620.40
995.90
Storeworker Level 2
337.50
48.00
623.40
1008.90
Storeworker Level 3
345.10
49.10
625.90
1020.10
Storeworker Level 4
354.30
50.40
628.80
1033.50
Storeworker Level 5 – Wool Classer
365.20
52.00
637.90
1055.10
Storeworker Level 6 - Overlooker
383.50
54.60
645.90
1084.00







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.

(5) Transitional Provisions

(a) The provisions of subclauses (1), (2), (3) and (4) of this clause shall be trialled for a period of 12 months from the date of operation in order to assess the suitability of such a classification structure.

(b) Any dispute arising from the introduction of the provisions of subclauses (1), (2), (3) and (4) of this clause shall be discussed between the employee, employer and failing agreement, with a duly accredited union official. If the matter is not resolved at the workplace it shall be referred to the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission.

(c) The following translation table shall be used to determine an employee classification as at the date of the introduction of this variation.

GRADING UNDER OLD CLASSIFICATION STRUCTURE
GRADING UNDER NEW CLASSIFICATION STRUCTURE(See exceptions below)


Storeman Grade (a)
Storeworker Level 1
Storeman Grade (b)
Storeworker Level 2
Storeman Grade (c)
Storeworker Level 2
Storeman Grade (d)
Storeworker Level 3
Storeman Grade (e)
Storeworker Level 3
Storeman Grade (f)
Storeworker Level 4
Wool Classer (g)
Storeworker Level 5 - Wool Classer
Overlooker - 2-5 employees (h)
Storeworker Level 6 - Overlooker
Overlooker - 6+ employees (h)
Storeworker Level 6 - Overlooker


Exceptions

1. Weighing Adjusting which under the old classification structure was Grade (a) translates to Level 2 under the new structure.

2. Operator in charge of a fully automatic dump press (i.e. TriPak) which under the old classification structure was Grade (b) translates to Level 4 under the new classification structure.

3. Employee in charge of out store which under the old classification structure was Grade (e) translates to Level 4 under the new classification structure.

(d) The rates described herein include the 1st Minimum Rate Adjustment.

(e) It is agreed that the total amount of the supplementary payment described in subclause (3) of this clause shall be absorbed from any component of the weekly wage in excess of the base rate described in subclause (2) of this clause.

(f) It is agreed that no employee shall suffer a reduction in actual weekly total wage rates as a consequence of the introduction of the new classification structure.

(g) It is agreed that the parties shall aim to complete the Minimum Rates Adjustment process no later than 1 November 1993.

(h) It is agreed that each employer shall provide each employee, within three (3) months of the date of operation of this order, advice concerning that employee's new classification as described by subclause (1) of this clause.

(6) An allowance of five percent on so much of his/her average earnings per week exclusive of overtime as does not exceed the amount fixed from time to time for workers covered by the provisions of paragraph (a) of subclause (2) and paragraph (a) of subclause (3) of this clause shall be paid to a weekly worker if he/she is employed in a wool store for any period of less than six successive calendar months unless such employment has been terminated voluntarily or on account of malingering, inefficiency, neglect of duty or misconduct.

Provided that in the event of any such worker being dismissed (except for malingering, inefficiency, neglect of duty or misconduct) within fourteen days prior to Christmas Day, he shall receive not less than one half week's wages by way of such allowance. That is to say, if the five percent allowance on wages earned up to the time of dismissal is not equal to one half week's wages, then the half week's wage shall be paid, but if the five percent allowance on wages earned up to the time of dismissal is in excess of one half week's wages, then the said five percent allowance shall be paid but not the half week's wages.

(7) Ninety cents per hour in addition to the above rates shall be paid to any worker who actually handles "dead" wool.

(8) If a worker is required by his/her employer to act as a first aid attendant in any store, for so acting he shall be paid in addition to his/her ordinary rate of pay the sum of $2.00 per day.

(9) (a) The weekly wage rates for junior employees shall be calculated by multiplying the relevant percentage determined by the employee’s age as detailed below and the total rate of pay for the classification of Storeworker Level 1 as provided for in subclause 4 of this clause.

Age
Percentage
At 17 years of age or under
At 18 years of age
At 19 years of age
At 20 years of age
70%
80%
90%
100%


The total wage shall be calculated to the nearest 10 cents, with any amount of five cents or greater rounded up, any amount less than 5 cents being disregarded.

(b) The provisions of subclause (5) of this clause mutatis mutandis (the necessary changes being made) shall apply to Junior Employees.

(10) Casual Employees: Casual employees shall be paid at the rate of twenty percent in addition to the rates prescribed by this award for the appropriate classification.