Extra increase to the minimum wage on the cards for childcare and health professionals

The Fair Work Commission has boosted the wages of workers on awards by 3.75%, just a touch above the official inflation rate of 3.6%.

The increase will apply to fortnightly pay packets from next month and will only directly apply to one-fifth of Australian workers on centrally determined awards.

Taking into account other workers who will get pay raises because their pay is linked to awards, the Commission says the decision will affect one in four employees.

Most of the workers affected are part-time, most are women, and almost half are casual.

While the decision will maintain real wages in the sense that it is just above the official rate of inflation, the Commission reports that even after it real wages for award-reliant employees will remain lower than they were five years ago.