Australia’s Fair Work Commission Raises Minimum Wage by 3.5 Percent

Australia’s Fair Work Commission Raises Minimum Wage by 3.5 Percent
Construction workers weld a barrier together. Anoek De Groot/AFP/Getty Images
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SYDNEY — Australia’s Fair Work Commission (FWC) has raised the minimum wage by 3.5 percent from July 1, it said on Friday, an increase almost double the current industry rate but half what unions had lobbied for.

The move affects about 2.3 million employees, or 20 percent of Australia’s workforce, and was opposed by business groups who argued that higher pay awards would kill jobs.