A poll of key WA marginal electorates (Swan, Pearce and Hasluck) with 1,526 respondents, has revealed that pay rises for working West Australians are either insufficient or non-existent and this will be an important issue in determining the Federal election result

Meredith Hammat, Secretary UnionsWA said:

“It is clear that working people in WA are concerned about low pay and insecure jobs and these will be key issues in the election.

“Sixty-three percent of working people in Swan, 60.5% in Pearce and 54.3% in Hasluck reported they had no pay rise over the past year.

“Underneath these figures there’s a story of how low pay rises are dividing West Australians, particularly for women and young people.

“Men are more than twice as likely than women to have had a pay rise that met increased costs of living in the past year.

“In the inner-city, marginal electorate of Swan, 72% of young people aged between 18 and 34 years reported that they have not had a pay rise during the past year.

“Around two thirds of working West Australians polled report that in their own experience, jobs are now less secure than in the past.

“Across the WA electorates polled, a majority believed that the Morrison Liberal Government is not doing enough to stop insecure work.

“Stopping wage theft and ensuring all working people receive their legal entitlement from employers, such as their correct pay and superannuation, is also an area where most people believe more should be done.

“Too many working West Australians are struggling to keep their heads above water.

“Working people do not want to be taken further down the path to Americanisation where two, three, sometimes more jobs become the norm to just make ends meet.”

Further information

The poll results for Hasluck (conducted on 23 April) can be viewed and downloaded online here.

The poll results for Swan (conducted on 10 May) can be viewed and downloaded online here.

The poll results for Pearce (conducted on 10 May) can be viewed and downloaded online here.