So tell me Paul, does the average worker risk their house each da they go to work, no, they don't and this is why business people deserve to be financially rewarded. Besides, whomin their righ mind would take a punt then place a bet with odd that are like 3 to 1 against because that's pretty much what small business people do when they pay the likes of weekend rates in businesses that rely on weekend trade, like restaurants.

My girl has missed out on Friday, Saturday and Monday work simply because my customers refuse to pay the additional wages associated with public holiday rates. Of cause I could have gone without my wages, but why should I because I'm the one taking the risks. So She wanted to work, but the numbers just don't add up, what a pity. She had a great Easter, unfortunately though without any money.

Aussie boy, I don't hate unions and I do think they have their place but, when they have thugs like that Sheldon grub that had a vendetta against Qantas, you know they are bias and have little regard fir the workers they say they the protecting the rights of.

In fact Qantas is a classic case whereby they struggle to compete in a global industry, due to our IR laws, yet the union wants to come down on them for trying to find a cheaper option.

At the end of the day if you don't consider the needs of the employer when setting wages and conditions, the likes of Holden, Toyota and Ford may well have passengers when they leave.

Genesis 29:

16) Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17) Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful.
18) Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19) Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.”
20) So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.
21) Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.”

But then things turned sour: Jacob woke up in the morning and found that he received Leah instead - that's a clear example of unfair wages!

He then laboured for another 7 years for Rachel and this time he got her.

But suppose Jacob did receive Rachel as agreed, how dare anyone claim that their agreement is illegal because "Jacob did not receive a minimum wage"? he was more than happy with the deal, he was not even interested in money - and as the bible says, for him those 7 years seemed like only a few days...

Butch, I am in fact a supporter of small business, I did at one time in life run an engineering consulting business, employing a couple of people, so I do have some experience at such.
I make the point that many small businesses do well in Australia, you tend to over state the risk by saying <<risk their house each day they go to work>>. If your businesses financial state is to the point of such a daily risk, then most likely the viability of the business is questionable. On the whole the returns to the operator of a small business are well above the average pay rate, risk equals return, and so it should. A worker in employment may be risking his or her house every day, the loss of employment for many has seen a mortgagee sale and they are not all small business people.
I can understand your bias in favor of the employer, being one yourself, but it is an unrealistic attitude to believe all should be determined by the employer and the employee should have no say in the matter. Australia recognised very early on the necessity of an independent umpire in determining fair outcomes between employers and employees, and in general it has worker well. You simply want to destroy much of what has been independently determined to be fair and reasonable. Howard thought he could some how do what you advocate through his 'work choices' and the Australian people would not have a bar of it, they could see the lack of fairness in what Howard wanted, and no doubt you were an enthusiastic supporter of Howard's way, and still are.

Paul, I support achievement at the work p,ace, not how long it takes to achieve a result. The problem is in this country we pay for how longnit takes to do a job, not how many jobs can be done in the time frame.

I was casual butchering a couple years back and would typically get sent home at 1 pm instead of 4 pm bacause I was good at my job and got my work done. Of cause I got paid for the hours I worked, not the work I did which is why so many today drag the chain, simply because there islittle flexibility in ou system to reward had workers, so the bar has been set by average IR poor workers, sadly much lower.

Butch, the award rate is the minimum, not the average or maximum. So when an employer says he pays award rates he is saying he pays the minimum for the particular job.
There is provision in some awards for piece rates

http://www.fairwork.gov.au/pay/minimum-wages/piece-rates-and-commission-payments

I think the minimum wage should be $100,000. Anything less than that is not fair.