Schedule A—Classification Definitions

[Varied by PR780216, PR792260]

A.1 The schedule sets out the classification structure that will apply to all employees covered by this award.

A.2 Definitions

[A.2 substituted by PR792260 ppc 14Oct25]

Backing off means to use a knife or hand to remove the hide from the back of the carcass after other clearing has been completed.

Bed and cradle means slaughtering an animal by the bed and cradle method (as opposed to on a hoist or conveyer).

Bench power saw operator is an employee who uses a band/power saw to break the animal into multiple pieces so that these pieces can be boned.

Boner is an employee who is required to use a knife to remove meat from the bones, sides, quarters or other piece of a carcass in accordance with the employer’s specifications and, where required by the employer, to dispatch such meat, bones and trimmings to other employees and/or work areas for further processing.

Buffing is the process of removing surface imperfections on a hide.

Carcass grader is an employee who determines the category or grades into which animal carcasses are allotted in accordance with approved specifications and who is appropriately accredited by the relevant authority.

Change first leg and change second leg means to insert a roller into the hamstring and hang the carcass on a rail and/or hoist.

Cheeking means to use a knife to clear the skin from the cheeks and/or head.

Chopping or sawing down pigs means to chop or saw down a pig carcass.

Clear brisket means to use a knife to clear the skin of the brisket from the carcass. This may involve venting the abdominal cavity.

Clear rectum gut and bladder means reaching into an opened carcass, grasping the anus and bladder, sealing the bladder and then pulling the gut and bladder free, using a knife where necessary.

Clearing and dropping rectum gut and bungs means to cut around the anus, placing a bag around the anus, tying the bag or rectum and releasing the rectum gut back into the cavity (typically with a hook).

Cooker and/or scalder means an employee who cooks and/or scalds in a meat manufacturing establishment.

Curing section assistant required to do salting means an employee who is required to salt meat in a meat manufacturing establishment.

Curtain coat is the process of applying dye or other finishing chemicals to a hide through a curtain spray application process.

Cut aitch bone means to cut through the aitch bone but does not involve sawing down.

Cutter up machine operator is an employee who, except as elsewhere specified, operates powered meat processing equipment.

Dehairing means to operate a dehairing machine to dehair pigs before further processing.

Derinding machine operator is an employee who, except as elsewhere specified, operates powered meat processing equipment.

Driver of motor vehicle exceeding 6 tonne carrying capacity is an employee who drives a motor vehicle exceeding 6 tonne carrying capacity, which includes a person who delivers meat and meat products in a vehicle that is 6 or more tonnes.

Dropping rectum means to cut around the anus before lifting and dropping the anus back into the cavity.

Feeding cattle from race into box means moving animals from the race into a slaughtering pen, box or crush prior to the animal being stunned or knocked.

Fillerperson is an employee that receives and pipes pre-mixed processed meat into a casing for the manufacture of salamis and other smallgoods.

First leg (including papering) and second leg (including papering) means to use a knife to clear the skin from the inside and outside of the legs of the carcass. This may involve placing a piece of paper between the carcass and the skin.

Flanking means to use a knife to clear the skin of the flank from the carcass.

Fluffing is the process of fluffing a hide.

Free with knife and/or tie and/or clip weasands means to make an incision into the throat to expose the trachea and weasand which is then freed and/or tied and/or clipped. This may also involve rodding the weasand.

Fronting out and/or paunching involves opening the stomach of a carcass and removing all internal organs, typically with a knife, so the carcass can be further processed.

Gambrell/slides and insert spreader means to place a hook or retraining device around the hind leg and hanging the carcass on the rail. Each front leg is lifted and the forelegs are placed in the U-shaped opening at each end of the fixed spreader.

Gambrelling means to secure the hind legs of a carcass by inserting a fixed hook into the hamstring/s.

General butcher is an employee who holds an accredited and relevant retail butchering trade qualification.

Guillotine machine operator is an employee who, except as elsewhere specified, operates powered meat processing equipment.

Ham and bacon curer is an employee who cures ham and bacon.

Hide or pelt puller operator is an employee required to operate a machine to remove the hide or pelt by using a machine. This may involve using knives to clear the hide or pelt while the machine is operating.

Knocking or stunning means to use a knocking device or gas to render an animal unconscious. This may involve the use of a restraining box.

Licensed product handling equipment means equipment that requires a licence to use, as may be required from time to time, to operate the piece of equipment in any Australian jurisdiction (as applicable to the State or Territory with which the work is being conducted). Examples of equipment that require a licence include but are not limited to a motor vehicle, tractor, excavator, forklift, heavy vehicle or otherwise.

Lining up and backing down means using a knife to line the sides of the backbone in preparation for sawing down.

Linker is an employee who links sausages by hand.

Loaders and labourers is an employee who loads and unloads vehicles in areas such as a wholesale meat market.

Mark and saw briskets means to run a knife down the front of the brisket and to use a saw, knife or scissors to cut the brisket.

Mark or strip tail means marking and stripping the hide from the tail with a knife.

Mixing machine operator is an employee who operates a mixing machine.

Moving pigs from race into pen means moving animals from the race into a slaughtering pen, box or crush prior to the animal being stunned or knocked.

Necking means to use a knife to clear the skin of the neck from the carcass.

Non-licensed product handling equipment means equipment that does not require a licence to use, as may be required from time to time to operate the piece of equipment in any Australian jurisdiction (as applicable to the State or Territory with which the work is being conducted).

Open neck and spear cut means to use a knife to open the skin over the neck and up the inside of the forelegs and then to use a knife to clear the skin from the neck.

Opening up means using a knife to open the belly from the navel to the brisket.

Operating air or conventional knives on hide strippers or downward hide pullers is an employee required to remove the hide by using a machine. This may involve using knives to clear the hide while the machine is operating.

Operator of other by-product machinery is an employee who operates rendering machinery or other by-product machinery

Operator of rendering machinery is an employee who operates rendering machinery or other by-product machinery.

Packing ham or bacon into cans and/or operating closing machine means packing ham or bacon into cans and/or operating a closing machine.

Pasting is part of the process of drying leather.

Pithing means to make an incision across the nape of the neck, severing through the atlas joint and spinal cord, and to place a rod or electrical stimulator down the spinal cord of the animal.

Pocketing silverside means to make a pocket after the legs have been skinned by clearing the skin from the bottom of the silverside to the top portion of the rump.

Pulling tail means marking and stripping the hide from the tail with a knife.

Push to saw and pull from saw means to push the carcass to the saw and pull the carcass away from the saw after the carcass has been sawn in half.

Push to scalding means to push the carcass of a pig to a scalding tank.

Removing first and second hind foot means to remove hind feet from the hock with powered shears.

Removing fore hooves means to remove hooves from the hock with powered shears.

Removing forefeet including skinning foot and saving sinew means to cut into the hide at the hock with a conventional knife and/or shears and to thereafter remove the forefeet.

Removing foreshank means to cut into the hide at the hock with a conventional knife and/or shears and to thereafter remove the forefeet

Removing head meat means using a knife or machine to remove head meat from the head, jaw and cheeks. Removing head meat does not include cheeking.

Removing heads by severing spinal cord and placing on table or chain means to make an incision across the neck and sever through the atlas joint and spinal cord to remove the head from the carcass. For cattle, this may involve using a machine to lift the head.

Removing horns means to remove the horns from an animal with a saw, knife or shears, including power shears.

Removing muzzle piece means to remove the mouth and nose with a knife.

Removing spreader means to release forelegs from a spreader so that the carcass is hanging by the hind legs.

Retort means to cook and sterilise food by the use of steam.

Rosetting means to use a knife to clear the skin of the neck and/or shoulders from a beef carcass.

Rumping means to use a knife or hand to clear the skin from the rump from the carcass.

Salesperson is an employee (not being a general butcher) who is employed in a self-service establishment in the replenishing of display or storage cabinets or work associated or employed in a meat retail establishment shop, selling meat products and whose principal responsibility will be dealing directly with customers in respect to sales of meat and other butcher shop products, and who may also perform the following duties:

(a) cut uncooked meat for weight;

(b) wrap meat or smallgoods;

(c) divide sausages, frankfurts or other smallgoods and for this purpose use a knife for cutting;

(d) sell goods already prepared; and

(e) prepare counter ready products.

Salter and/or pickle pumper is an employee who injects a solution into uncooked meat and or salts uncooked meat or meat products.

Sammying means applying pressure to remove water from the hides.

Saving sinews from forelegs means removing the sinew and muscle in the forelegs using a knife.

Sawing down means using a power saw to break a carcass down into 2 pieces by sawing down the backbone.

Sawyer is an employee who breaks down a carcass, side, quarter or other piece using a saw for either the pre-work-up for boning or in accordance with required specifications.

Setting out means stretching the skin or hide during tanning to maximise size prior to drying.

Shackle to fixed hook means to place a hook or restraining device around the hind leg and to hand the carcass on the rail.

Shackling (chaining) and hoisting means to operate a hoist to lift an animal to the rail after it has been stunned and shackled.

Shackling means placing a chain around the hind leg of the animal and may involve operating a hoist in the slaughter area to lift the animal to the rail.

Shaving means to shave any remaining hair after the dehairing process, which may involve operating a machine.

Siding means to use a knife to clear the skin of the side from the carcass.

Silent-cutter operator is an employee who operates a silent-cutting machine.

Singeing means to burn any remaining hair after the dehairing process, which may involve operating a machine.

Skin classer is an employee who is accredited to assess the categories or grades into which sheep skins are sorted in accordance with predetermined specifications.

Skin first leg and skin second leg means to use a knife to clear the skin form the inside and the outside of the legs of the carcass.

Skinning and/or scalping heads means to use a knife to clear the skin from the head.

Skinning briskets and foreshanks means to use a knife to clear the skin from the briskets and foreshanks.

Slaughterer Class 1 is an employee who performs the indicative tasks set out in the classification stream.

Slaughterer Class 2 is an employee who performs the indicative tasks set out in the classification stream.

Slaughterer Class 3 is an employee who performs the indicative tasks set out in the classification stream.

Slaughterer in a meat manufacturing establishment or a meat retail establishment (other than a tradesperson slaughterer) is competent to perform slaughtering tasks in accordance with the employer’s specifications.

Slicer is an employee who is required to use a knife to trim or remove fat and extraneous material, in accordance with the employer’s instructions and/or product specifications, and to dispatch such product to other employees for further processing if required by the employer.

Slicing and/or operating scales means tasks performed in the manufacture, slicing, and/or packing, of smallgoods, which involve machine slicing small quantities of smallgoods such as bacon and salami, weighing small portions for the purposes of wholesale/retail packaging and otherwise assisting with the preparation of bacon and smallgoods for wholesale/retail sale.

Smallgoods maker is an employee who has served a relevant apprenticeship or has at least 4 years’ general experience in smallgoods-making and who is responsible for the making of smallgoods and who may be required to perform all tasks relating to smallgoods manufacturing including that of mixing-machine operator, butcher, boner, salter and/or pickle pumper, cooker, filler, linker and table hand, but smallgoods maker does not include a person making smallgoods in a meat retail establishment.

Split paddywhack and drop means to split the paddywhack by making a downward incision with a knife from the nape of the neck to the shoulders.

Splitting down and removing trotters means to open up the skin over the belly and remove udders, pizzles (penis) and/or skin. For sheep, this may also involve removing the trotters with a knife or shears.

Splitting is the separating of layers in a hide by using a band knife.

Sticking (including removing sweetbreads) means to locate and remove the sweetbreads and to sever the two jugular veins.

Sticking means to sever the two jugular veins.

Strapping or wiring-machine operator or vacuum machine operator is an employee who operates a strapping machine, wiring machine or vacuum machine.

Strip rectum gut means stripping the rectum gut by running the forefinger and thumb down the rectum gut to remove faeces.

Stunning or knocking means to use a stunning device or gas to render the animal unconscious. This may involve the use of a restraining box.

Tie rectum gut means to sever the gut and bladder from the carcass and tying any remaining gut.

Toe capping means to remove the toenails with a hook.

Tractor driver, auto truck or tow motor driver is an employee who drives a tractor, auto-truck or tow motor.

Trade qualified slaughterer is a slaughterer who has an accredited and relevant trade qualification.

Trimmer is an employee who uses a knife to remove fat or other extraneous material or foreign matter from a carcass, side, quarter or piece prior to boning or in preparation for chilling prior to boning.

Tunnel boner means removing a bone from the forequarter or hindquarter of an animal by marking in and around the leg bone such that the bone can be removed by hand.

Tying weasands means to make an incision into the throat to expose the trachea and weasand, which is then freed and clipped or tied. This may also involve rodding the weasand. Tying weasands may be performed in or outside a shackling area.

Using knives for cleaning or preparing meat immediately prior to packing means work that is undertaken after the boning and slicing process has been completed, rather than beforehand, similar to that of a trimmer.

Washing means to wash a pig carcass after it has been processed.

Washing anus and pit means to wash the anus and pit (the floor).

Yard person in tanning and/or treatment/processing of skins or hides is an employee who works in a tanning section of a processing facility or a tannery.

A.3 Classifications

[A.3 inserted by PR733854 ppc 14Oct25]

Employees will be classified according to their level of skill, qualifications and the tasks they may be required to perform. The appropriate classification level for an employee is to be determined based on an overall assessment of the employee’s skills, qualifications and duties. An employer may require an employee to perform tasks at a level lower than the employee’s classification from time to time however this will not result in a reduction of the employee’s classification. The classification of an employee will not vary depending on which indicative task they are performing at a given time.

A.3.1 Meat Industry Level 1

[A.3.1 substituted by PR792260 ppc 14Oct25]

An employee at this level will be a person with no experience in the industry undergoing on-the-job training. An employee may not be engaged at this level for longer than 6 months.

An employee must progress to Meat Industry Level 2 (or Level 3 if they are employed in the meat processing establishment stream) when they meet one or both of the following:

 The employee commences performing productive work without assistance or training from another person

 The employee is certified by their employer as competent to perform a Meat Industry Level 2 task (or Level 3 task if they are employed in the meat processing establishment stream)

A.3.2 Meat Industry Level 2

[A.3.2 substituted by PR792260 ppc 14Oct25]

An employee at this level will be performing basic delivery tasks in the retail stream; or low-skilled meat manufacturing tasks. An employee at this level will be performing the following indicative tasks:

Meat retail establishment stream | Order person delivering meat/meat products.

Meat manufacturing establishment stream | Linker, table hand;‎ Slaughterer’s assistant;‎ Curing section assistant required to do salting;‎ Washing, drying, smoking section assistant;‎ Retort;‎ Employee in lard section.

A.3.3 Meat Industry Level 3

[A.3.3 substituted by PR792260 ppc 14Oct25]

An employee at this level may have experience in the industry but exercises minimal judgment in relation to their duties. An employee at this level performs more skilled work than a Level 2 employee in the case of an employee working in the meat retail or meat manufacturing establishment streams. An employee at this level will be performing the following indicative tasks:

Meat manufacturing establishment stream | Fillerperson;‎ Packing-room hand;‎ Slicing and/or operating scales, packing ham or bacon into cans and/or operating closing machine.

All meat industry streams | Employee directly connected to the slaughter floor—tasks such as moving cattle/sheep up the race;‎ Employee indirectly connected with the slaughter floor—tasks such as cleaning tripe by machine/hand;‎ Separating and/or handling offal at the eviscerating table;‎ Removing head meat;‎ Bagging lambs;‎ Labourers associated with boning and slicing activities;‎ Labourer associated with by-product activities;‎ Strapping or wiring-machine operator or vacuum machine operator;‎ Operating Whizard Knives;‎ Wrapping, weighing, pricing, packing and packaging uncooked meat;‎ Salter and/or pickle pumper (arterial or stab);‎ Chiller room/Freezer room hand;‎ Loading and unloading labourer;‎ Storing and packing labourer in or about storage works;‎ Drover/yardperson/stockperson;‎ Cleaners;‎ Labourers involved in tanning or other treatment or processing of skins or hides; Assistants in buffing, fluffing, curtain coat, splitting, pasting, setting out and sammying;‎ Machine operators/machinists in tanning or other treatment/processing of skins or hides not elsewhere classified;‎ Yard person in tanning and/or treatment/processing of skins or hides;‎ An employee performing clerical and/or office tasks such as maintenance of basic records, basic word processing, typing and filing, collating, photocopying, handling and distributing mail, delivering messages, operation of keyboard and other allied and similar equipment.

A.3.4 Meat Industry Level 4

[A.3.4 substituted by PR792260 ppc 14Oct25]

An employee at this level exercises a higher level of judgment and has a higher skill level than a Level 3 employee. An employee at this level will be performing the following indicative tasks:

Meat retail establishment stream | Smallgoods maker in a meat retail establishment (non trade qualifications);‎ Cooker and/or scalder;‎ Cashier;‎ Loaders and labourers in areas such as wholesale meat markets.

Meat manufacturing establishment stream | Silent-cutter operator;‎ Mixing machine operator;‎ Smallgoods seller from a vehicle;‎ Cutter up, guillotine operator, derinding machine operator;‎ Packer and/or scaler (smallgoods);‎ Ham & bacon curer.

Meat processing establishment stream | Slaughterer (calves and beef) Class 3 (feeding cattle from race into box; tying weasands (not in shackling area); washing anus and pit; rodding weasands; removing horns; removal of fore hooves; removing heads by severing spinal cord and placing on table or chain; remove first hind foot; change first leg; remove second hind foot; change second leg; pulling tail; split paddy whack and drop; placing and removing chains on hide stripper and removing tail skin from hide; hide puller; saving sinews from forelegs; push to saw; pull from saw; trimming sides; trimming fores, trimming hinds);‎ Slaughterer (sheep) Class 3 (operate restrainer and stun, shackle to fixed hook, gambrel and slide; insert spreader, rod weasands, remove spreader, opening up, clear rectum gut and bladder, strip rectum gut, tie rectum gut, trimming);‎ Slaughterer (pigs) Class 3 (moving pigs from race to pen, shackling, pushing to scalding, dehairing, toe capping, dropping rectum, shaving, singeing, washing, trimming).

All meat industry streams | Trimmer;‎ Using knives for cleaning or preparing meat immediately prior to packing;‎ Use of non-licensed product handling equipment;‎ Basic operation of data processing equipment in or about storage works.‎ Driver of motor vehicle not exceeding 6 tonne carrying capacity;‎ In tanning and other treatment/processing of hides or skins, the task of fleshing, buffing, fluffing, curtain coat operating, skating, shaving, glazing, spraying, hand tipping, setting out, sammying‎ In addition to the clerical and/or office tasks listed under Meat Industry Level 3 an employee at this level performs tasks such as more advanced word processing, typing and filing, generating simple documents, date entries, calculating functions, maintenance of records, operates more than basic telephone equipment and message taking.

A.3.5 Meat Industry Level 5

[A.3.5 substituted by PR792260 ppc 14Oct25]

An employee at this level exercises a higher level of judgment and has a higher skill level than a Level 4 employee. An employee at this level may hold a Certificate II qualification or equivalent. An employee at this level will be performing the following indicative tasks:

Meat retail establishment stream | Salesperson;‎ Slaughterer (associated with a retail butchers shop).

Meat manufacturing establishment stream | Slaughterer;‎ Tunnel boner.

Meat processing establishment stream | Slaughterer (calves and beef) Class 2 (knocking; shackling (chaining and hoisting); pithing; tying weasands (in shackling area); cheeking; skinning heads; removing forefeet including skinning foot and saving sinew; clearing and dropping rectum gut and bungs; mark or strip tail; remove muzzle piece; remove foreshanks; cut aitch bone; mark and saw briskets; Slaughterer (pigs) Class 2 (stunning, gambrelling).

All meat industry streams | Slicer;‎ Sawyer;‎ Bench power saw operator (breaking up);‎ Employee directly connected to the slaughter floor—tasks such as knocking and making tallow;‎ Employee indirectly connected with the slaughter floor – tasks such as making tallow;‎ Lining up, backing down and chopping or sawing down (pigs);‎ Operator of rendering machinery;‎ Operator of other by-product machinery;‎ Driver of motor vehicle exceeding 6 tonne carrying capacity;‎ Use of licensed product handling equipment;‎ Tractor driver;‎ Auto-truck or tow motor drivers;‎ More advanced operation of data processing equipment than in Meat Industry Level 4 in or about storage works;‎ In tanning and other treatment/processing of hides or skins, the task of currier, colour matching/mixing, chemical mixing, splitting and classing/sorting not elsewhere covered;‎ In addition to the clerical and or/office tasks listed in Meat Industry Levels 3 and 4, an employee at this level performs more detailed tasks such as: retrieving data; maintaining appropriate records; transcribing into records; producing more advanced documents; applying knowledge of clerical and/or office operating procedures; sorting and processing and recording from original source documents; identifying and extracting information from internal and external sources; and computer program applications commensurate with tasks.

A.3.6 Meat Industry Level 6

[A.3.6 substituted by PR792260 ppc 14Oct25]

An employee at this level exercises a higher level of judgment and has a higher skill level than a Level 5 employee. An employee at this level may hold a Certificate II qualification or equivalent. An employee at this level will be performing the following indicative tasks:

Meat processing establishment stream | Slaughterer (calves and beef) Class 1 (sticking including removing sweetbreads; skin first leg; skin second leg; pocketing silverside; rosetting; flanking; clearing brisket and venting; siding; necking; rumping; backing off; skinning briskets and foreshanks; operating air or conventional knives on hide strippers; operating downward hide-puller; fronting out; sawing down);‎ Slaughterer (beef)—bed and cradle;‎ Slaughterer (sheep) Class 1 (stick, first leg (including papering), second leg (including papering and hanging up second leg), cheek, open neck and spear cut, clear neck and forelegs, clear briskets, free and tie weasand, splitting down and removing trotters, flanking, paunching, and/or additional task where no restrainer is used, catch, stick and shackle);‎ Slaughterer (pigs) Class 1 (sticking, fronting out).

All meat industry streams | Boner;‎ Carcass grader;‎ Skin classer;‎ In addition to the clerical and/or office tasks listed in Meat Industry Levels 3 to 5, an employee at this level requires only some general guidance after training and there is scope for discretion/judgment at this level to provide assistance to clerical persons in clerical levels below.

A.3.7 Meat Industry Level 7

[A.3.7 varied by PR792260 ppc 14Oct25]

An employee at this level possesses and utilises trade qualifications:

All meat industry streams | Trade qualified slaughterer (Certificate III in Meat Processing or equivalent);General butcher;Smallgoods maker.

A.3.8 Meat Industry level 8

An employee at this level has duties above those of a general butcher tradesperson.

Meat retail establishment stream | General butcher in charge of a meat retail establishment

13. Classifications

Employees covered by this award are to be classified according to the structure set out in Schedule A—Classification Definitions.

Part 3—Hours of Work

16. Minimum rates

[Varied by PR720159, PR718877, PR729317, PR733854, PR740742, PR762168, PR773945, PR786597, PR799339]

16.1 Adult rates

[16.1 varied by PR718877, PR729317, PR740742, PR762168, PR773945, PR786597, PR799339 ppc 01Jul26]

An employer must pay adult employees the following minimum rates for ordinary hours worked by the employee:

Employee classification | Minimum weekly rate(full-time employee) | Minimum hourly rate

| $ | $

MI 1 | 978.10 | 25.74

MI 2 | 1004.90 | 26.44

MI 3 | 1010.90 | 26.60

MI 4 | 1034.60 | 27.23

MI 5 | 1052.90 | 27.71

MI 6 | 1074.50 | 28.28

MI 7 | 1119.10 | 29.45

MI 8 | 1160.20 | 30.53

NOTE: See Schedule B—Summary of Hourly Rates of Pay for a summary of hourly rates of pay including overtime and penalty rates.

16.2 Junior rates

(a) Junior employees will be paid the percentage of the applicable adult weekly rate (or in the case of part-time or casual employees, the hourly rate) for their classification as follows:

Age | % of adult rate

Under 17 years | 50

17 years | 60

18 years | 75

19 years | 85

16.3 Apprentice rates

(a) Minimum rates for apprentices

(i) The minimum award rates for apprentices completing a 4 stage or year apprenticeship and who commenced before 1 January 2014 are the following percentages of the minimum weekly rate of MI 7:

Stage or year of apprenticeship | % of MI 7

1 | 50

2 | 60

3 | 85

4 | 95

(ii) The minimum award rates for apprentices completing a 4 stage or year apprenticeship and who commenced on or after 1 January 2014 are the following percentages of the minimum weekly rate of MI 7:

Stage or year of apprenticeship | % of MI 7 for apprentices who have not completed year 12 | % of MI 7 for apprentices who have completed year 12

1 | 50 | 55

2 | 60 | 65

3 | 85 | 85

4 | 95 | 95

16.4 Adult apprentice rates

(a) The minimum award rates for adult apprentices who commenced on or after 1 January 2014 and are in the first stage or year of their apprenticeship must be 80% of the minimum rate for MI 7, or the rate prescribed by clause 16.3(a) for the relevant year of the apprenticeship, whichever is greater.

(b) The minimum award rates for adult apprentices who commenced on or after 1 January 2014 and are in the second and subsequent stages or years of their apprenticeship must be the rate for the lowest adult classification in clause 16.1, or the rate prescribed by clause 16.3(a) for the relevant year of the apprenticeship, whichever is greater.

[16.4(c) varied by PR733854 from 27Sep21]

(c) A person employed by an employer under this award immediately prior to entering into a training agreement as an adult apprentice with that employer must not suffer a reduction in their minimum wage by virtue of entering into the training agreement, provided that the person has been an employee in that enterprise for at least 6 months as a full-time employee or 12 months as a part-time or regular casual employee immediately prior to commencing the apprenticeship. For the purpose only of fixing a minimum wage, the adult apprentice must continue to receive the minimum wage that applies to the classification specified in clause 16.1 in which the adult apprentice was engaged immediately prior to entering into the training agreement.

16.5 Apprentice conditions of employment

(a) The terms of this award apply to apprentices in the meat industry except where otherwise stated. Apprentices may be engaged in trades or occupations that are defined and provided for in Schedule A—Classification Definitions where such trades or occupations are declared or recognised by an apprenticeship authority. There is no such declaration or recognition for a trade qualified Slaughterer as defined.

(b) For the purposes of clause 16.5 herein, apprenticeship authority means a State or Territory training authority with the responsibility for the apprenticeship.

(c) In any State in which any statute or regulation relating to apprentices is in force, that statute and regulation will operate in that State provided that the provisions of the statute or regulation are not inconsistent with this award in which case the provisions of this award will apply.

(d) An apprentice may be engaged under a training agreement approved by the relevant apprenticeship authority, provided the qualification outcome specified in the training agreement is consistent with that established for the vocation in the training package.

(e) Apprenticeships under this award are competency based. The actual time taken to complete an apprenticeship will therefore vary depending upon factors such as the intensity of training and the variety of work experience and any additional requirements set out in this award.

(f) The nominal period of the apprenticeship is up to 4 years, however this period may be varied as follows:

(i) to make up for lost time as set out in clause 16.5(q); and/or

(ii) with the approval of the relevant State or Territory apprenticeship authority, to recognise prior learning including vocational education and training in school, pre-apprenticeship programs and other prior learning, the nominal period may be shortened to reflect the proportion of the competencies already acquired; and/or

(iii) it may be extended by up to 6 months in Stage 3 and 12 months in Stage 4 in the apprenticeship where required to complete the competencies.

(g) Notwithstanding the nominal period, the apprenticeship may be completed in a shorter period when:

(i) the qualification specified in the training agreement is successfully completed; and

(ii) the apprentice has the necessary practical experience to achieve competency in the skills covered by the training agreement, provided that the determination as to whether this condition has been met must be by agreement between the registered training organisation, the employer and the apprentice and where there is a disagreement concerning this matter the matter may be referred to the relevant state/territory apprenticeship authority for determination; and

(iii) the requirements of the relevant state/territory apprenticeship authority with respect to demonstration of competency and any minimum necessary work experience requirements are met; and

(iv) with respect to trades where there are additional licensing or regulatory requirements under State legislation or this award, when these requirements are met.

(h) An apprenticeship may be cancelled or suspended only in accordance with the requirements of the training agreement and the requirements of State legislation and the apprenticeship authority.

(i) The probationary period of an apprentice is as set out in the training agreement or contract of apprenticeship consistent with the requirement of the apprenticeship authority and with State legislation but must not exceed 3 months.

(j) Time spent by an apprentice in attending any training and/or assessment specified in, or associated with, the training contract is to be regarded as time worked for the employer for the purposes of calculating the apprentice’s wages and determining the apprentice’s employment conditions. Clause 16.5 operates subject to the provisions of Schedule D—School-based Apprenticeships.

(k) No apprentice will, except in an emergency, work or be required to work overtime or shiftwork at times which would prevent their attendance at training consistent with their training contract.

(l) The ordinary hours of employment of apprentices in each enterprise are not to exceed those of the relevant tradesperson.

(m) The minimum rates applying to apprentices under this award are dealt with in clauses 16.3 and 16.4 and no apprentice is to work under a system of payment by results.

(n) An apprentice is entitled to be released from work without loss of continuity of employment and to payment of the appropriate wages for any training and assessment specified in, or associated with, the training contract.

(o) The nominal period of the apprenticeship is extended by an additional day for each day of absence during each year of the apprenticeship, except in respect of absences due to annual leave or long service leave.

(p) Periods of paid personal/carer leave which total ten or less days in any apprenticeship year do not extend the nominal period of the apprenticeship.

(q) Except where the apprentice meets the competency requirements to progress to the next stage as set out in clause 16.9 the following year of their apprenticeship does not commence until the additional days have been worked. However, any time that has been worked by the apprentice in excess of their ordinary hours must be credited to the apprentice when calculating the amount of additional time that needs to be worked in the relevant year.

16.6 Payment of Travel Costs, Fees and Text Books

(a) Where an apprentice is required to attend block release training for training identified in or associated with their training contract, and such training requires an overnight stay, the employer must pay for the excess reasonable travel costs incurred by the apprentice in the course of travelling to and from such training. Provided that clause 16.6 will not apply where the apprentice could attend an alternative Registered Training Organisation (RTO) and the use of the more distant RTO is not agreed between the employer and the apprentice.

(b) For the purposes of clause 16.6(a) excess reasonable travel costs include the total costs of reasonable transportation (including transportation of tools where required), accommodation costs incurred while travelling (where necessary) and reasonable expenses incurred while travelling, including meals, which exceed those incurred in travelling to and from work. For the purposes of clause 16.6, excess travel costs do not include payment for travelling time or expenses incurred while not travelling to and from block release training.

(c) The amount payable by an employer under clause 16.6(a) may be reduced by an amount the apprentice is eligible to receive for travel costs to attend block release training under a Government apprentice assistance scheme. This will only apply if an apprentice has either received such assistance or their employer has advised them in writing of the availability of such assistance.

(d) All training fees charged by an RTO for prescribed courses and the cost of all prescribed textbooks (excluding those textbooks which are available in the employer’s technical library) for the apprenticeship, which are paid by an apprentice, shall be reimbursed by the employer within 6 months of the commencement of the apprenticeship or the relevant stage of the apprenticeship, or within 3 months of the commencement of the training provided by the RTO, whichever is the later, unless there is unsatisfactory progress.

(e) An employer may meet its obligations under clause 16.6(d) by paying any fees and/or cost of textbooks directly to the RTO.

16.7 Competency based progression

(a) For the purpose of competency based wage progression in clauses 16.3 and 16.4 an apprentice will be paid at the relevant wage rate for the next stage of their apprenticeship if:

(i) competency has been achieved in the relevant proportion of the total units of competency specified in clause 16.9 for that stage of the apprenticeship. The units of competency which are included in the relevant proportion must be consistent with any requirements in the training plan; and

(ii) any requirements of the relevant State/Territory apprenticeship authority and any additional requirements of the relevant training package with respect to the demonstration of competency and any minimum necessary work experience requirements are met; and

(iii) either:

 the Registered Training Organisation (RTO), the employer and the apprentice agree that the abovementioned requirements have been met; or

 the employer has been provided with written advice that the RTO has assessed that the apprentice meets the abovementioned requirements in respect to all the relevant units of competency and the employer has not advised the RTO and the apprentice of any disagreement with that assessment within 21 days of receipt of the advice.

(b) If the employer disagrees with the assessment of the RTO referred to in the second dot point in clause 16.7(a)(iii) above, and the dispute cannot be resolved by agreement between the RTO, the employer and the apprentice, the matter may be referred to the relevant State/Territory apprenticeship authority for determination. If the matter is not capable of being dealt with by such authority it may be dealt with in accordance with the dispute resolution clause in this award. For the avoidance of doubt, disputes concerning other apprenticeship progression provisions of this award may be dealt with in accordance with the dispute resolution clause.

(c) For the purposes of clause 16.7, the training package containing the qualification specified in the contract of training for the apprenticeship sets out the assessment requirements for the attainment of the units of competency that make up the qualification. The definition of “competency” utilised for the purpose of the training packages and for the purpose of clause 16.7 is the consistent application of knowledge and skill to the standard of performance required in the workplace. It embodies the ability to transfer and apply skills and knowledge to new situations and environments.

(d) The apprentice will be paid the wage rate referred to in clause 16.7(a) from the first full pay period to commence on or after the date on which an agreement or determination is reached in accordance with clause 16.7(a)(iii) or on a date as determined under the dispute resolution process in clause 16.7(b).

16.8 Minimum wages

The minimum wages for an apprentice are as set out in the following table, provided that progression through the stages set out in this table is in accordance with clause 16.9.

Stage of apprenticeship | % of MI7 for apprentices who have not completed year 12 | % of MI7 for apprentices who have completed year 12

Stage 1 | 50 | 55

Stage 2 | 60 | 65

Stage 3 | 85 | 85

Stage 4 | 95 | 95

16.9 Conditions for progression through each stage

The conditions for progression to each stage are set out in the following table:

Stage of apprenticeship entry, exit and progression requirements

Stage 1

Entry

Nil entry requirements

Exit

There is no exit point at this stage

Stage 2

Entry

An apprentice enters Stage 2:

 on attainment of 25% of the total competency points for the relevant AQF Certificate III qualification specified in the training plan; or

 12 months after commencing the apprenticeship, subject to clause 16.5(o);

whichever is earlier.

Exit

There is no exit point at this stage

Stage 3

Entry

An apprentice enters Stage 3:

 on attainment of 50% of the total competency points for the relevant AQF Certificate III qualification specified in the training plan; or

 12 months after commencing Stage 2, subject to clause 16.5(o);

whichever is earlier.

Exit

There is no exit point at this stage

Stage 4

Entry

An apprentice enters Stage 4:

 on attainment of 75% of the total competency points for the relevant AQF Certificate III qualification specified in the training plan; or

 12 months after commencing Stage 3, subject to clause 16.5(o);

whichever is earlier.

Exit

Upon the attainment of 100% of the total competency points for the relevant AQF Certificate III qualification specified in the training plan and subject to clauses 16.5(e), 16.5(f), 16.5(g) and 16.5(o), an apprentice will exit with the relevant AQF Certificate III qualification.

16.10 Higher duties

(a) An employee required to perform the duties of a position at a higher classification level for 2 hours or longer, must be paid, for all work done on that day or shift, the rate applicable for that higher level.

(b) If the work at the higher classification level is for less than 2 hours, the employee will be paid for 2 hours at the higher rate and the balance of their working time will be paid at the rate of the employee’s ordinary classification.

16.11 National training wage

[16.11(a) varied by PR720159 ppc 18Jun20]

(a) Schedule E to the Miscellaneous Award 2020 sets out minimum wage rates and conditions for employees undertaking traineeships.

[16.11(b) varied by PR720159 ppc 18Jun20, PR718877, PR729317, PR740742, PR762168, PR773945, PR786597, PR799339 ppc 01Jul26]

(b) This award incorporates the terms of Schedule E to the Miscellaneous Award 2020 as at 1 July 2026 Provided that any reference to “this award” in Schedule E to the Miscellaneous Award 2020 is to be read as referring to the Meat Industry Award 2020 and not the Miscellaneous Award 2020.

16.12 School based apprentices

For school-based apprentices, see Schedule D—School-based Apprenticeships.

16.13 Supported wage system

For employees who because of the effects of a disability are eligible for a supported wage, see Schedule E—Supported Wage System.