Earnings and working conditions

In the March quarter 2025:

• 44 disputes occurred.
• 10,300 employees were involved and 13,900 working days lost.
• disputes occurred in 8 industries and in 6 states and territories.

During the year ended March 2025, there were 189 disputes and a total of 136,200 working days lost.

In March 2025, total wages and salaries paid by employers:

• increased to $104,805 million
• increased by 0.9% or $971 million in the month from February 2025
• increased by 5.8% or $5,772 million in the year from March 2024

• In December 2024, 390,400 people had a job in Labour supply services, and for 335,800 (86.0%) it was their main job.
• 2.6% of all employed people had a job in Labour supply services in December 2024.
• 68.1% of labour hire workers worked full-time (August 2024).
• 73.6% of labour hire workers did not have paid leave entitlements, and 25.8% would prefer to work more hours (August 2024).
• In 2021-22, 60.4% of people in Labour supply services were men, and 24.9% were Labourers.

Estimates for average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adults (seasonally adjusted):

• Increased by 4.6% annually to $1,975.80 in November 2024.
• For males were $2,253.30 (public), and $2,038.00 (private).
• For females were $2,027.20 (public), and $1,739.30 (private).

In August 2024:

• 2.6 million employees did not have paid leave entitlements (22% of employees, and 18% of all employed).
• 20% of employees considered their job to be casual.
• 36% of employed people usually worked from home, down from 37% in Aug 2023.
• There were 1.1 million independent contractors (7.5% of all employed).
• 13.1% of employees (1.6 million) were trade union members in their main job, an increase on the 12.5% recorded in August 2022.
• Median employee earnings in main job was $1,396 per week, up $96 (7.4%) since August 2023.
• Median hourly earnings in main job was $40.00 per hour, up $0.30 since August 2023.

In August 2024:

• 13.1% of employees (1.6 million) were trade union members in their main job, an increase on the 12.5% recorded in August 2022.
• Trade union membership was slightly more common amongst women (14%) than men (12%).
• The Education and training industry (27%) and the Professionals occupation group (20%) had the highest rates of trade union membership.
• Since 1992, the proportion of employees who were trade union members has fallen from 40%.

In August 2024:

• 2.6 million employees did not have paid leave entitlements (22% of employees, and 18% of all employed).
• 20% of employees considered their job to be casual.
• 4.2% of employees were employed on a fixed-term contract.
• There were 1.1 million independent contractors (7.5% of all employed).
• 18% of employees didn't have minimum guaranteed hours, down from 21% in August 2022.
• 36% of employed people usually worked from home, down from 37% in Aug 2023.
• 56% of employees were entitled to employer provided paid parental leave.

In August 2024:

• Median employee earnings in main job was $1,396 per week, up $96 (7.4%) since August 2023.
• Median hourly earnings in main job was $40.00 per hour, up $0.30 since August 2023.

During 2021-22:

• Total personal income was $1.19 trillion
• Median personal income was $55,062, up 4.0% on 2020-21
• Employee income comprised 82.5% of total personal income

• Median weekly earnings were $1,300.00 for all employees, $1,509.00 for males and $1,130.00 for females.
• Occupations with the highest hourly earnings were Managers ($67.20) and Professionals ($60.60).
• Individual arrangement was the most common method of setting pay (38.7%), followed by collective agreement (34.0%).

• 7 million people (7,095,103) were working full-time and 4 million people (3,962,550) were working part-time in the week before the Census.
• The median hours worked in Australia was 38 hours per week.
• Health Care and Social Assistance was the largest employing industry in Australia (14.5 per cent of the workforce), followed by Retail Trade (9.1 per cent) and Construction (8.9 per cent).
• The top three reported occupations were Sales Assistants (General) (514,084), Registered Nurses (262,742) and General Clerks (244,849).
• The national median personal income was $805 per week. This was a $143 increase since 2016. This included the adult population from 15 years to over 85 years, including those who are unemployed or retired.
• There were over 9.6 million people earning below the national median personal income or earning no income.

• 497,300 people had a work-related injury or illness (3.5% of people who worked at some time during the year).
• The most common cause of injury or illness was 'Lifting, pushing, pulling or bending' (24%).
• 66% had time off as a result of the injury or illness.
• 31% received workers compensation for the injury or illness.