Enterprise bargaining delivering higher wages

The Albanese Government’s bargaining reforms continue to deliver strong outcomes for Australian workers, with the highest number of active enterprise agreements since June 2018.

The latest Trends in Federal Enterprise Bargaining report shows there were 11,614 active enterprise agreements in place as of June 2026.

During the June quarter 2026, 784 enterprise agreements covering nearly a quarter of a million employees were approved.

The Secure Jobs, Better Pay Act was passed by the Albanese Labor Government in December 2022 to improve wages, reinvigorate enterprise bargaining, address the gender pay gap and improve job security.

Now, almost 2.6 million Australian workers are covered by current enterprise agreements.

Employees covered by new enterprise agreements received average annual wage increases of 4%, compared with 3.2% growth in the Wage Price Index. This marks eight consecutive quarters in which wages under enterprise agreements have grown faster than the national average.

The strongest annual wage outcomes in those agreements were recorded in construction (4.6%), health care and social assistance (3.8%), and education and training (3.6%).

The full report is available online.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Amanda Rishworth: 

“Enterprise agreements are good for workers and good for businesses. Workers get better pay and conditions, and businesses get more flexibility and productivity.

"Labor’s Secure Jobs Better Pay reforms continue to encourage strong bargaining activity continue across the economy, with almost 800 agreements approved in a single quarter, covering nearly a quarter of a million employees.

"Enterprise bargaining is delivering higher wages in a wide range of critical industries, supporting workers in sectors that are critical to Australia's economic success.”