Hospitality industry calls for pay freeze for Australia’s lowest-paid workers

Calls to freeze the minimum wage are likely to provoke outrage from unions, which say workers deserve a 5% pay rise to keep up with inflation. Photograph: Sandra Sanders/Reuters

Workers on the lowest pay would receive a real pay cut under a proposal to freeze the minimum wage pushed by the cafe and restaurant industry.

The Restaurant and Catering Industry Association called for no increase in the minimum wage in its submission to the annual review, arguing take-home pay is already rising due to job shortages, on top of super increases and budget giveaways.