Waste Management 2025 Pay Rates (MA000043)

Plain-English Summary

Who does this award cover?

The Waste Management covers employees in the waste management industry, including waste collection drivers, recycling sorters, landfill operators, transfer station workers, and skip bin drivers. If you collect, sort, process, or dispose of waste and recyclable materials, this award applies to you. It covers approximately 30,000 workers across Australia.

This award does NOT cover cleaners working inside buildings (Cleaning Services Award, MA000022), general transport drivers not in the waste industry (Road Transport and Distribution Award, MA000038), or water treatment workers (Water Industry Award, MA000113). See clause 4.1 for the full coverage terms.

How classification levels work

Classifications cover roles from general waste worker through to experienced operator, driver, and supervisor. Shiftworkers and non-shiftworkers have different penalty rate provisions.

Key features of this award

Waste collection often begins very early in the morning. The award includes shiftwork provisions with afternoon and night shift penalties. Good Friday and Christmas Day attract higher penalty rates than other public holidays.

Classification Levels and Base Rates

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

Refer to the Fair Work Commission pay guide for MA000043 for current dollar amounts for each classification level. Hourly rate = weekly rate / 38. Casual rate = hourly rate x 1.25.

Penalty Rates

Penalty rate multipliers from the Fair Work Commission penalty rate schedule for MA000043. All penalties are calculated on the base hourly rate.

The award specifies penalty rates ranging from 100% to 325% depending on when and how you work.

Full-Time and Part-Time Employees

Casual Employees

Penalty rate categories in this award

The following penalty rate descriptions apply under MA000043:

• Afternoon
• Good Friday & Christmas Day
• Monday to Saturday after 2 hours
• Monday to Saturday first 2 hours
• Night
• Ordinary hours
• Public holiday
• Saturday After 2 hours
• Saturday First 2 hours
• Sunday

Casual penalty rates include the 25% casual loading. Refer to the specific award clauses for exact percentages applicable to each classification level and employment type.

Worked Examples

Example 1: Casual worker on a Sunday

A casual employee working a 4 hours-hour minimum shift on a Sunday.

• Base hourly rate: refer to your classification level in the MA000043 pay guide
• Sunday casual rate: base rate x Sunday casual penalty percentage
• Minimum payment: Sunday casual rate x 4 hours hours
• Clause reference: refer to casual penalty rates clause

Example 2: Full-time worker on a public holiday

A full-time employee working an 8-hour public holiday shift.

• Base hourly rate: refer to your classification level in the MA000043 pay guide
• Public holiday rate: base rate x public holiday percentage (up to 325%)
• Total: public holiday rate x 8 hours
• Clause reference: refer to public holiday clause

Example 3: Part-time worker with overtime

A part-time employee who works 2 hours beyond their rostered hours on a weekday.

• Base hourly rate: refer to your classification level in the MA000043 pay guide
• Overtime rate: base rate x overtime percentage
• Clause reference: refer to overtime clause

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do waste truck drivers get penalty rates for early starts?

If you work shiftwork (afternoon or night shifts), you receive shift penalties. Day workers on standard hours do not receive a specific early start penalty, but hours outside ordinary spread attract overtime rates.

2. What is the difference between Good Friday/Christmas and other public holidays?

The award provides a higher penalty rate for work on Good Friday and Christmas Day compared to other public holidays, reflecting the particular significance of these days.

3. Are recycling centre workers covered?

Yes, employees at recycling centres, material recovery facilities, and transfer stations are covered by this award.

4. What is the minimum shift length under this award?

The minimum engagement for casual and part-time employees is 4 hours per shift. Even if you are sent home early, you must be paid for the minimum shift length.

5. How do I check my exact pay rate?

Use our free calculator or refer to the Fair Work Commission pay guide for MA000043. You can also contact the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94 for free advice.

Check Your Rate

Working in waste management and want to know your exact pay rate? Use our free calculator to check.

Check your pay rate now

Select your classification level, shiftwork status, employment type, and the days you work.

Schema Markup Suggestions

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Table Schema (Dataset)

• name: "Waste Management MA000043 Pay Rates July 2025"
• description: "Classification levels and penalty rates for waste collection and recycling workers under the Waste Management"
• temporalCoverage: "2025-07-01/.."
• creator: Fair Work Commission
• license: CC BY 4.0

Breadcrumb Schema

Home > Awards > Waste Management (MA000043)

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.