The ACTU has accused Prime Minister Scott Morrison of refusing a wage hike. 

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) says Mr Morrison has made a “persistent argument” against real wage rises for low-paid workers. 

The call comes despite the PM’s own submission to the Annual Wage Review, in which he said it is not appropriate for the Federal Government to support or oppose an increase.

“Scott Morrison is telling working people that what happens to their wages isn't up to him, but in the Fair Work Commission he's arguing furiously for real wage cuts,” said ACTU Secretary Sally McManus.

The ACTU says the government's submission to the Review makes arguments about how a wage hike will cost jobs, and how wages should be kept low to create jobs for “low-skilled people, the long-term unemployed, people with disability, Indigenous Australians, and youth”.

“The Prime Minister is active in this year's Annual Wage Review, and he's arguing that the wages for the lowest paid workers in the country should be kept low,” Ms McManus said.

“These workers are the cleaners, aged care workers and retail workers, along with millions of others, who carried this country through the pandemic. The Prime Minister should explain to them why he doesn't think they need a pay rise.

“Working people deserve a government that uses systems like the Annual Wage Review to lift their wages, not keep them down.

“Scott Morrison should explain to workers that rely on the Annual Wage Review for pay rises why they don't deserve even a fraction of the wage growth he has enjoyed over the last ten years.”