Apprentice pay boost

QUEENSLAND apprentices will receive a substantial wage increase after the Federal Court made a landmark ruling they should be paid as much as those in other parts of the country.

The Federal Court yesterday dismissed an application by Australia’s biggest employer of apprentices that workers in the sunshine state should continue to be the lowest paid in the country.

All Trades Queensland and other employer groups lodged an appeal after the Fair Work Commission twice ruled trainees should be covered by a modern federal award rather than an old state award.

The companies argued they should be able to keep paying first-year apprentices just $8.75 an hour, more than $4 less than workers in other states.