Meat Industry Award 2025 Pay Rates (MA000059)

Plain-English Summary

Who does this award cover?

The Meat Industry Award covers employees working in meat processing establishments (abattoirs), meat manufacturing establishments (smallgoods, canning, curing), meat retail establishments (butcher shops), and cleaning roles within those establishments. If you work as a slaughterer, boner, slicer, meat packer, smallgoods maker, retail butcher, meat grader, or cleaner in a meat facility, this award applies to you. It covers roughly 80,000 workers across Australia's meat and livestock processing sector.

This award does NOT cover employees in general retail (General Retail Industry Award, MA000004), employees in restaurants and food service (Restaurant or Hospitality Award), or employees in livestock farming (Pastoral Award, MA000035). The key distinction is between meat processing/manufacturing (covered by this award) and general retail or farming. A butcher in a standalone butcher shop is covered; a butcher in a supermarket deli may be under the Retail Award. See clause 4.1 for coverage terms.

How classification levels work

The award has separate classification structures for each stream: meat processing, meat manufacturing, meat retail, and cleaners (clause 14 and Schedule A). Meat processing has levels from MP1 (entry-level labourer) through MP7 (highly skilled tradesperson or supervisor). Meat manufacturing has MFG1 through MFG5. Meat retail has MR1 through MR5. Each stream reflects the specific skills and duties of that part of the industry.

Shiftwork and unique penalty structures

The Meat Industry Award has some distinctive penalty arrangements. Meat processing establishments have specific early morning rates for work starting before 6am, and Saturday rates vary depending on whether the Saturday work is ordinary hours agreed under clause 14.3(b) or overtime. Shiftworkers receive loadings for afternoon shifts (starting at or after noon) and fixed night shifts. Public holiday penalties distinguish between Good Friday, Christmas Day, and ANZAC Day (which attract higher rates) and other public holidays.

Classification Levels and Base Rates

All rates effective 1 July 2025. Source: Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review 2024-25.

Meat Processing Employees

Meat Retail Employees

Hourly rate = weekly rate / 38 (clause 13.1). Casual rate = hourly rate x 1.25 (clause 11.1).

Penalty Rates

All penalties are calculated on the base hourly rate (clauses 26-28).

Full-Time and Part-Time Employees (Meat Processing)

Casual Employees (Meat Processing)

Shiftworkers (Full-Time and Part-Time)

Casual penalty rates include the 25% casual loading. See clauses 26, 27, and 28.

Worked Examples

Example 1: Casual retail butcher on a Saturday

Joe is a casual MR3 qualified butcher who works a 7-hour Saturday shift in a suburban butcher shop.

• Base rate: $26.59/hr
• Saturday casual rate: 175% = $26.59 x 1.75 = $46.53/hr
• Total for 7 hours: $325.71 gross
• Clause reference: clause 26.5

Example 2: Full-time boner on a public holiday (ANZAC Day)

Kim is a permanent MP3 boner who works a 6-hour shift on ANZAC Day.

• Base rate: $26.59/hr
• First 4 hours (ANZAC Day rate): 200% = $26.59 x 2.00 = $53.18/hr x 4 = $212.72
• Next 2 hours (ANZAC Day after 4 hrs): 300% = $26.59 x 3.00 = $79.77/hr x 2 = $159.54
• Total for 6 hours: $372.26 gross
• Clause reference: clause 28.2

Example 3: Full-time meat processing worker with early morning start

Peter is a permanent MP2 worker who starts at 4am and works until 12pm on a Tuesday.

• Base rate: $25.49/hr
• 4am to 6am (early morning loading): 115% = $25.49 x 1.15 = $29.31/hr x 2 = $58.62
• 6am to 12pm (ordinary hours): 100% = $25.49/hr x 6 = $152.94
• Total for 8 hours: $211.56 gross
• Clause reference: clause 26.2

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the minimum shift length for meat industry workers?

The minimum engagement for casual and part-time employees varies by stream. In meat processing establishments, the minimum shift is generally 4 hours (clause 11.2). In meat retail, the minimum is 3 hours. At the MP1 casual rate ($30.91/hr), the minimum payment for a 4-hour processing shift is $123.64 gross.

2. Why are Good Friday and ANZAC Day paid at higher rates than other public holidays?

The Meat Industry Award distinguishes between Good Friday, Christmas Day, and ANZAC Day (which attract 200%/300% rates) and other public holidays (150%/250%). This reflects the historical industrial agreements in the meat industry where these three days were treated as sacrosanct rest days. Working on these days attracts the highest penalties in the award -- up to 300% for hours after the first 4. See clause 28.2.

3. Do I get a tool allowance for supplying my own knives?

Yes. Employees who are required to supply their own knives for boning, slicing, or other cutting work are entitled to a knife allowance (clause 19). The allowance covers the cost of purchasing and maintaining knives. Some employers provide knives, in which case the allowance does not apply.

4. I work in a cold room. Are there extra allowances?

Yes. The Meat Industry Award includes a cold room allowance for employees required to work in rooms where the temperature is below a specified threshold (clause 19). This recognises the physical discomfort and health risk of extended work in refrigerated environments, which is standard in meat processing and storage.

5. Is overtime on a Sunday paid at a higher rate than weekday overtime?

Yes. Sunday overtime in meat processing establishments is paid at 200% for all hours (clause 27.2), compared to weekday overtime which starts at 150% for the first 3 hours and then increases to 200%. So all Sunday work attracts the higher 200% rate from the first hour, making it more expensive for employers to roster weekend overtime.

Check Your Rate

Working in an abattoir, butcher shop, or meat processing plant? Use our free calculator to check your exact pay rate.

Check your pay rate now

Enter your stream (processing, manufacturing, retail, or cleaning), classification level, employment type, and the day and time you work. The calculator handles the split public holiday rates, early morning loadings, and shiftwork penalties -- all with clause references so you can verify every number.

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Table Schema (Dataset)

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• description: "Classification levels and hourly pay rates for meat processing, manufacturing, and retail employees under the Meat Industry Award"
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• creator: Fair Work Commission
• license: CC BY 4.0

Breadcrumb Schema

Home > Awards > Meat Industry Award (MA000059)

Rates current as of 1 July 2025. Source: Fair Work Commission, CC BY 4.0. This information is general in nature and is not legal advice. Always verify rates against the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT) at calculate.fairwork.gov.au.