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Poor Working Conditions
The average worker was not well protected from hazards at work. Aside from working long hours without overtime or sick leave, the workers were also poorly paid. -
Cost of Living
A loaf of bread cost between two and three pence (approximately two cents) and eggs were one shilling and three pence (around twelve cents) for a dozen. Women who worked as housemaids were paid around 14 shillings ($1.40) a week, with domestic cooks fairing slightly better at 25 shillings ($2.50) per week. Young boys employed by newspaper publishers were paid three shillings (30 cents) to work twelve hours for six nights a week. -
Conciliation and Arbitration Court
The Act was established by the federal government in 1904 to resolve disagreements between employers and employees. -
HV McKay - Largest manufacturing exporter
HV McKay had become the Commonwealth's largest manufacturing exporter -
The Harvester Judgement
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HV McKay applies for exemption
HV McKay applied to the Conciliation and Arbitration Court for an exemption from the Excise Tariff (Agricultural Machinery) Act 1906 (Cth). The Act involved an excise on locally made machinery being waived if employers were found to be paying 'fair and reasonable' wages. Through this excise, the Commonwealth government could improve non-federal workers' conditions. -
Basic Wage established accross Australia
For the next 60 years, it was the basis of pay for most Australian workers and by 1910 a wages board or an arbitration court had been established in every State of Australia. -
Basic Wage suits cost of living.
For basic wage to truly represent what was needed by the average worker to support himself and his family, it needed to fluctuate with the cost of living. This finally happened in 1914.