SHOCKFACTS: Australia's work force

• Half of Australia's workers (around 3.8 million) earn less than $678 a week ($35,351 per year).

• The work force grew by just over 400,000 new jobs from 2000-2003, but 64.8% of these pay less than $600 a week.

• More than 2 million people earn less than $400 a week and received an annual effective pay increase of only $3.73 a week between 1996 and 2002, less than a twentieth of the gains of the top 10%.

• 42.3% of new full-time jobs created since 1996 have been casual and there are now more than 2.2 million casual workers (an increase of 22% since 1996).

• Part-time jobs have grown by 26% in the last eight years, yet full-time jobs have only grown by 11%.

• Almost one-million Australians now work unpaid overtime, an increase of 24% since 1996.

[Source: <http:www.actu.asn.au>.]

From Green Left Weekly, June 29, 2005.

Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.

From GLW issue 631