Union Council Chews on Greens’ Plan to Scrap Training Wage, Still Hungry for More

The Council of Trade Unions has welcomed the Greens’ proposal to eliminate the $19.16 an‑hour training wage, but it is also urging the government to raise starting wages and boost apprenticeship subsidies.

At $19.16 an hour the training wage is modest, barely enough to keep an apprentice’s coffee cup full, compared with the adult minimum of $23.95.

Unions say the scrap should be paired with a comprehensive training fund so apprentices receive both a fair wage and quality training.

The debate has turned into a culinary metaphor – scrapping the old wage while trying to cook up a richer menu for future workers.

Commentators liken it to a bakery that gives away dough but asks for extra flour for the next batch. The unions’ call for “more” has sparked a nationwide conversation about the true cost of training.

The unions’ cheers have become a chant for a more generous wage system, showing that even when a wage is scraped, the hunger for better pay remains.

The discussion continues as the Greens consider how to serve a wage policy that is both fair and flavorful for all workers.