Timber Industry Award 2025 Pay Rates (MA000071)

Plain-English Summary

Who does this award cover?

The Timber Industry Award covers employees working in timber harvesting, sawmilling, timber processing, wood chipping, plywood manufacturing, particle board production, pulp and paper manufacturing, and related timber and forestry operations. If you work as a sawmill hand, timber grader, kiln operator, log truck driver, forest harvesting worker, or paper mill operator, this award applies to you. It covers roughly 30,000 workers across Australia's timber and forest products sector.

This award does NOT cover employees in furniture manufacturing (covered by the Manufacturing Award, MA000010), employees in retail timber yards that primarily sell to the public (General Retail Industry Award, MA000004), or employees in silviculture and tree planting (Silviculture Award, MA000040). The key test is whether your employer's primary business involves harvesting, processing, or manufacturing timber and forest products. See clause 4.1 for coverage terms.

How classification levels work

The award uses a multi-level classification structure that varies by stream (clause 14 and Schedule A). The main streams are general timber, sawmilling, and pulp and paper. Each stream has its own classification levels reflecting the different skills and responsibilities. General timber and sawmilling levels range from entry-level labourer through to senior tradesperson and leading hand. Pulp and paper has a separate structure reflecting the continuous process nature of paper manufacturing.

Shiftwork and casual overtime

The Timber Industry Award has a particularly comprehensive shiftwork structure because many timber operations run continuous shifts. Afternoon and night rotating shift loadings apply at 115%, with permanent night shift attracting a higher loading. Continuous shiftworkers in the pulp and paper stream have specific overtime arrangements. Importantly, this award allows casual overtime at higher penalty rates, which is not common across all awards.

Classification Levels and Base Rates

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

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 (clause 26 and clause 27).

Full-Time and Part-Time Day Workers

Shiftworkers (Full-Time and Part-Time)

Casual Employees (Day Workers and Shiftworkers)

Casual penalty rates include the 25% casual loading. Casual overtime applies on top of casual loading. See clauses 26 and 27.

Worked Examples

Example 1: Casual sawmill hand on a Saturday

Tom is a casual Level 1 sawmill hand who works a 6-hour Saturday shift.

• Base rate: $24.73/hr
• Saturday casual rate: 175% = $24.73 x 1.75 = $43.28/hr
• Total for 6 hours: $259.68 gross
• Clause reference: clause 26.5

Example 2: Full-time kiln operator on permanent night shift

Sandra is a permanent Level 5 kiln operator working permanent night shifts, 10pm to 6am Monday to Friday.

• Base rate: $29.02/hr
• Permanent night shift rate: 130% = $29.02 x 1.30 = $37.73/hr
• Total for 8 hours: $301.84 gross
• Clause reference: clause 26.2

Example 3: Casual with overtime on a weekday

Bruce is a casual Level 3 forklift driver who works a 10-hour shift on a Wednesday (his ordinary hours are 8).

• Base rate: $26.59/hr
• First 8 hours (ordinary casual): 125% = $26.59 x 1.25 = $33.24/hr x 8 = $265.92
• Next 2 hours (casual overtime first 2 hrs): 175% = $26.59 x 1.75 = $46.53/hr x 2 = $93.06
• Total for 10 hours: $358.98 gross
• Clause reference: clause 11.1, clause 27.5

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Casual and part-time employees must be engaged for a minimum of 4 hours per shift (clause 11.2). This is longer than many other awards and reflects the practical nature of timber operations where short shifts are inefficient. At the Level 1 casual rate ($30.91/hr), the minimum payment for any casual shift is $123.64 gross.

2. Do I get a first aid allowance for holding a first aid certificate?

Yes. Employees who hold a current first aid certificate and are appointed by their employer as a first aid attendant are entitled to a weekly first aid allowance (clause 19). The timber industry requires first aid coverage due to the inherent hazards of working with heavy machinery, chainsaws, and in remote locations.

3. How does continuous shiftwork differ from regular shiftwork in this award?

Continuous shiftworkers work in operations that run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (such as pulp and paper mills). They receive a 25% loading on all ordinary hours, compared to the 15% for rotating afternoon/night shifts or 30% for permanent night. Continuous shiftworkers also have different overtime arrangements, with specific provisions for non-successive shifts. See clause 26.3.

4. I drive a log truck. Am I covered by the Timber Award or the Road Transport Award?

If you are employed by a timber company and your primary duty is driving logs from the forest to the mill, you are likely covered by the Timber Industry Award. However, if you are employed by a separate transport company contracted to haul logs, you may be under the Road Transport (Long Distance Operations) Award or the Road Transport and Distribution Award (MA000038). The key test is who your employer is and what the employer's primary business is. See clause 4.1.

5. Are there special rates for working in wet or dusty conditions?

Yes. The Timber Industry Award includes disability allowances for employees working in conditions involving sawdust, excessive noise, wet conditions, extreme heat, or confined spaces (clause 19). These allowances are paid per hour in addition to the base rate and any penalty loadings. The specific amounts are reviewed annually.

Check Your Rate

Working in a sawmill, timber yard, or forestry operation? Use our free calculator to check your exact pay rate.

Check your pay rate now

Enter your classification level, employment type, shift pattern, and the day you work. The calculator handles shiftwork loadings, weekend penalties, casual overtime, and disability allowances -- all with clause references so you can verify every number.

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• creator: Fair Work Commission
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Home > Awards > Timber Industry Award (MA000071)

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.