Workers feel 'ripped off' by pay freeze

Loy Kong is a typical low-income earner.
She works full time at a Melbourne blinds factory for $14.31 an hour.
By the time she pays the mortgage, bills and costs associated with raising two
teenagers there is not much left.
"Because we work hard, we should get more money, good money ... because it's getting
very hard."
Ms Kong is one of 1.3 million Australians who learned on Tuesday their pay packets
will not be any thicker this year.
She will be remain on a weekly income of $543.78 until at least January, when Fair
Work Australia reviews the minimum wage.
"It's very bad news for us and our life's going to be very hard because we have a
mortgage to pay and children to send to school," she said.
Ms Kong has worked for the factory at Bayswater, in Melbourne's southeast, for seven
years.
She has had no luck finding a higher paid job and cannot quit because the mortgage
has to be paid.
In the meantime, Ms Kong spends $60 a week in petrol commuting from her home 40
minutes away in Springvale.
Her husband is also a low-income earner.
Together they spend about $100 a week in petrol alone. On top of mortgage
repayments, food, bills and education expenses for their children, aged 13 and 16,
there is no room for extras.
Factory worker Beverly Fenton is also feeling the pinch.
She says she works a 39 1/2-hour week but is only paid for a standard 38 hours.
While she feels dudded on overtime allowances, she says some people at her workplace
are even worse off.
"This will make it very difficult for people in my situation and other people that I
work with who are on a very, very low wage," Ms Fenton said.