The complete reference to the Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award MA000010 for Australian manufacturers, workshops and production facilities — coverage, classifications, penalty rates, allowances, minimum engagement and Fair Work compliance.
The Manufacturing and Associated Industries Award (MA000010) sets minimum pay by classification, starting at $25.74/hour full-time (C14 - Engineering/manufacturing employee - level I). Saturdays pay 150% (full/part-time); Sundays 200% (full/part-time); public holidays 250% (full/part-time). Casuals receive these rates plus the 25% casual loading. Figures current as at 1 July 2026, sourced from the Fair Work Ombudsman Pay Guide — full tables below, or ask Fitz for the exact rate for your classification and shift.
Page updated 21 October 2026: added Christmas and New Year public holiday rates and the 2026–27 change timeline. Rates current as at 1 July 2026.
The Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award MA000010 covers general manufacturing, engineering, food and beverage processing, and associated production and maintenance work. It does not cover vehicle manufacturing (a separate award). Getting coverage right matters — it drives the classification structure, penalty rates, and allowances that apply to every shift. Applying the wrong award creates systematic underpayment exposure.
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Current classification rates, penalties and allowances from the FWO Pay Guide.
How Fitz compares for manufacturing businesses on the Manufacturing Award.
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What award interpretation software does, and how Fitz HR applies the Manufacturing Award before the roster is published, not after payroll runs.
Penalty rates under MA000010 for weekend and public holiday work, as a percentage of the ordinary hourly rate:
| When worked | % of ordinary rate |
|---|---|
| Saturday (FT/PT) | 150% |
| Sunday (FT/PT) | 200% |
| Public holiday (FT/PT) | 250% |
Casual employees receive a 25% loading in addition to the ordinary rate. Ask Fitz for the exact casual and overtime rates under MA000010.
A sample of the full-time minimum rates. See the Manufacturing Award pay rates page for the full table, streams and casual rates.
| Classification (full-time) | Hourly | Weekly |
|---|---|---|
| C14 - Engineering/manufacturing employee - level I | $25.74 | $978.10 |
| C13 - Engineering/manufacturing employee - level II | $26.44 | $1004.90 |
| C12 - Engineering/manufacturing employee - level III | $27.08 | $1029.10 |
| C11 - Engineering/manufacturing employee - level IV | $27.97 | $1062.90 |
| C11 - Laboratory tester | $27.97 | $1062.90 |
| C10 - Engineering/manufacturing tradesperson - level I | $29.45 | $1119.10 |
| C10 - Engineering/manufacturing systems employee - level V | $29.45 | $1119.10 |
| C9 - Engineering/manufacturing tradesperson - level II | $30.38 | $1154.30 |
| C9 - Engineering/laboratory technician - level I | $30.38 | $1154.30 |
| C8 - Engineering/manufacturing tradesperson - special class level I | $31.30 | $1189.40 |
| C8 - Engineering/laboratory technician - level II | $31.30 | $1189.40 |
| C7 - Engineering/manufacturing tradesperson - special class level II | $32.13 | $1221.10 |
Showing 12 of 98 full-time classifications. Ask Fitz for any classification, employment type or stream.
The Manufacturing Award sets a minimum period an employee must be paid for each time they are engaged:
| Allowance | Amount | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| First aid allowance | $22.26 | per week |
| Meal allowance | $19.14 | per meal |
| Leading hand allowance (in charge of 3-10 employees, all-purpose) | $1.29 | per hour |
| Leading hand allowance (in charge of 11-20 employees, all-purpose) | $1.93 | per hour |
| Leading hand allowance (in charge of more than 20 employees, all-purpose) | $2.45 | per hour |
| Tool allowance (tradespersons other than carpenter/joiner/shipwright, not vehicle manufacturing, all-purpose) | $0.47 | per hour |
| Tool allowance (carpenter, joiner and shipwright/boatbuilder, not vehicle manufacturing, all-purpose) | $0.89 | per hour |
| Cold places allowance | $0.82 | per hour |
Operating under MA000010 creates obligations beyond paying the correct rate:
See the Fair Work compliance pillar guide and how Fitz HR compares with Employment Hero.
The summer public holidays are where Manufacturing Award payroll errors cluster, because the public holiday penalty is the largest multiplier in the award and Boxing Day falls on a Saturday this year, which brings substitute-day rules into play. For a C14 - Engineering/manufacturing employee - level I employee on the current minimum of $25.74 an hour:
| Hour worked | Full-time / part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary Monday–Friday hour | $25.74 | $32.18 |
| Public holiday hour (250%) | $64.35 | Ask Fitz |
The same multiplier applies at every classification level, so take the level’s ordinary rate from the table above and multiply. Casual public holiday rates under this award depend on the shift and loading; ask Fitz for the exact figure. The national public holidays in the period are:
Each state and territory gazettes its own list, including part-day holidays such as Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve in some jurisdictions, so check your state’s list before the roster is published. The penalty applies to hours worked on the gazetted day; where a substitute day is declared, the award sets out which day attracts the penalty, and that is a question worth asking Fitz before the pay run rather than after.
The rates on this page took effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, following the Fair Work Commission’s 4.75% Annual Wage Review increase, and apply for the 2026–27 financial year. The next Annual Wage Review decision is expected in June 2027 and takes effect from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2027. Superannuation guarantee is 12%. Nothing else is scheduled to change the Manufacturing Award minimum rates before then; if the Commission varies the award mid-year, the rates alert below will tell you.
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