Low paid workers in Far North Queensland will be hoping for good news today, with the Fair Work Commission set to return its minimum wage decision at 12pm.  

The ACTU is pushed for a $30 increase for the 1.5 million low paid Australian workers, to lift the minimum wage from $15.96 to $16.75 and hour, or $636.40 a week.

The minimum wage applies to employees who aren’t covered by an award or agreement.

Employers are looking for a significantly lower increase, of $5.80, and the Australian Industry Group recommended a maximum increase of $12.

Two weeks ago, the Fair Work Commission heard final submissions for its annual minimum wage and award deliberations. Any changes will start from July 1.

In it’s post-budget submission in April, the Gillard Government called for an “appropriate increase” in the national minimum wage and aware wages, noting “any increase should take account of changes in living costs and the economic environment…as well as the domestic and global economic outlook in the short to medium term.”

ACTU President Ged Kearney said wages of low-paid workers had been falling behind for a decade, with the National Minimum Wage now 43.4% of average full-time earnings. She described a $30 rise as "a moderate, affordable increase".

“Despite this, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry are calling for a pitiful $5.80 per week increase, hardly enough to buy lunch, let alone cope with the increasing cost of living.”

Ms Kearney said last year's wage rise was absorbed by business and the Australian economy continued to grow.

“A decent minimum wage is an important protection for workers which will help prevent the emergence of a US-style working poor.”

A significant number of Far North Queensland employees work in minimum wage and award sectors, with the major regional employment industries manufacturing and construction (15.5 percent), hospitality (10.9 percent) and retail (11.3 percent), according to 2006 census data.