Wine Industry 2025 Pay Rates (MA000090)

Plain-English Summary

Who does this award cover?

The Wine Industry covers employees in the wine industry, including vineyard workers, cellar hands, winemakers, cellar door sales staff, and laboratory technicians at wineries. If you work growing grapes for wine, making wine, or selling wine at a cellar door, this award applies to you. It covers approximately 15,000 workers across Australia.

This award does NOT cover general farming workers not in viticulture (Pastoral Award, MA000035), general hospitality workers at winery restaurants (Hospitality Industry Award, MA000009), or general retail workers selling wine (General Retail Industry Award, MA000004). See clause 4.1 for the full coverage terms.

How classification levels work

Classifications cover roles from vineyard labourer through to cellar hand, winemaker, cellar door sales, and supervisor. Shiftworkers and non-shiftworkers have different provisions.

Key features of this award

Wine industry work is seasonal, with vintage (grape harvest and crush) being the peak period. The award includes specific Saturday rates for cellar door and vineyard work, reflecting weekend trading. Casual employees have specific overtime provisions.

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 MA000090 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 MA000090. All penalties are calculated on the base hourly rate.

The award specifies penalty rates ranging from 100% to 275% 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 MA000090:

• Afternoon shift and night shift
• Monday to Saturday - After 2 hours
• Monday to Saturday - First 2 hours
• Ordinary hours
• Permanent night shift
• Public holiday
• Saturday
• Saturday - cellar door or vineyard
• Sunday
• Sunday - cellar door

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 3 hours-hour minimum shift on a Sunday.

• Base hourly rate: refer to your classification level in the MA000090 pay guide
• Sunday casual rate: base rate x Sunday casual penalty percentage
• Minimum payment: Sunday casual rate x 3 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 MA000090 pay guide
• Public holiday rate: base rate x public holiday percentage (up to 275%)
• 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 MA000090 pay guide
• Overtime rate: base rate x overtime percentage
• Clause reference: refer to overtime clause

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are cellar door staff paid differently on Saturdays?

Yes, the award includes specific Saturday penalty rates for cellar door workers, reflecting that weekend cellar door sales are a core part of wine tourism.

2. Is vintage work seasonal?

Yes, vintage (grape harvest and crush) typically runs from February to April and involves intensive work. Casual employment is common during vintage.

3. Does this award cover winemakers?

Yes, qualified winemakers employed by wineries are covered, classified at the appropriate level based on their qualifications and experience.

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

The minimum engagement for casual and part-time employees is 3 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 MA000090. You can also contact the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94 for free advice.

Check Your Rate

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

Check your pay rate now

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

Schema Markup Suggestions

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Table Schema (Dataset)

• name: "Wine Industry MA000090 Pay Rates July 2025"
• description: "Classification levels and penalty rates for vineyard and winery employees under the Wine Industry"
• temporalCoverage: "2025-07-01/.."
• creator: Fair Work Commission
• license: CC BY 4.0

Breadcrumb Schema

Home > Awards > Wine Industry (MA000090)

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.