Know Your Rights.
Know Your Pay.

Plain-English guide to the CFMEU Victoria On-Site Construction EBA 2024–2027. Built from the actual signed agreement.

Your Rate (Feb 2026)
$56.65/hr
Grade 3 Labourer · $2,039.40/wk
Daily Travel Allowance
$54.50/day
Every day worked · Clause 27.5
LAHA Weekly Rate
$913.75/wk
Living Away from Home · App. H
ALL Overtime Rate
Double Time
Clause 39.3 — no time-and-a-half
👷 What's Your Trade?
Select your classification and EBA Mate will personalise your rate card and pre-fill the calculator.
⚠️ Critical — Overtime under this EBA: Clause 39.3 states ALL overtime is paid at double time. There is NO time-and-a-half. If your payslip shows 1.5x for weekday overtime, you are being underpaid.
⚡ What This Tool Does
🧮
Pay Calculator — Enter hours, trade, overtime, allowances. Get a full itemised weekly pay breakdown with correct double-time OT rates.
🚨
Underpayment Checker — Think you're being underpaid? Enter your hours and what you were paid, get a shortfall calculation and a draft letter to payroll.
📅
RDO Tracker — See your next RDO date, how many you've accrued and the next 6 upcoming dates from the official CFMEU calendar.
🏠
LAHA Eligibility Checker — Answer a few questions to find out if you're entitled to Living Away From Home Allowance and how much you're owed.
📋
Entitlements Guide — Plain English breakdown of every entitlement with clause numbers from the actual EBA.
💰
Wage Rates — Complete rate tables from Appendix B for all four years of the EBA (2024–2027).
🤖
Ask EBA Mate — Ask a plain-English question and get an AI answer grounded in the actual EBA text.
📄 Source: All data sourced directly from the CFMEU (Victorian Construction and General Division) Enterprise Agreement 2024–2027.
For official advice: (03) 9341 3444 · vic.cfmeu.org · Fair Work Ombudsman 13 13 94.
🧮 Weekly Pay Calculator
⚡ Cl. 39.3 — All overtime = 2x (double time). Weekend OT has a 4-hour minimum call-out. Public holidays = 2.5x.
I am a casual employee — apply 25% casual loading (Cl. 14.9)
Tick to see your casual rate · ordinary rate becomes 125% · overtime becomes 225%
Living Away From Home (LAHA) — $913.75/week (Appendix H)
Demolition — directly performing ($9.70/hr, Cl. 27.19(d))
Demolition — working alongside ($8.65/hr approx)
Confined Space ($1.06/hr, App. M 1.6(d))
Asbestos Eradication + PPE ($2.84 + $1.06 = $3.90/hr, App. M 1.6(k)(l))
Overtime Meal Allowance ($31.98 — when 1.5+ hrs OT on ordinary day, Cl. 39.4)
Ordinary Time Pay—
Weekday Overtime (2x)—
Weekend Overtime (2x, min 4hr)—
Travel Time Pay (ordinary rate)—
Daily Travel Allowance ($54.50 × days)—
Site Allowance—
Multi-Storey Allowance—
Leading Hand Allowance—
Demolition Allowance—
Confined Space—
Asbestos Eradication + PPE—
LAHA (not wages)—
Overtime Meal Allowance—
Employer Super (full $280/wk or 11.5% OTE → CBus)—
Employer Incolink → Incolink account (full rate, Cl. 14.13)$160.00/wk
TOTAL GROSS (excl. super & incolink)—
Super and Incolink are employer-paid on top of your wages. Casuals get the full $280/wk super and $160/wk Incolink — not pro-rata (Cl. 14.13). LAHA is not wages. Travel allowance counts toward annual leave loading.
📋 Your Entitlements — Plain English
⏱️ Hours & Overtime
36-Hour Week (Clause 36)
8 hrs/day Mon–Fri
Ordinary hours are 8 hours per day, Monday to Friday within the spread of 6am–6pm. Start/finish changes require 18 hours notice.
ALL Overtime = Double Time (Clause 39.3)
2× rate
Every overtime hour is double time — including the first hour on a weekday. Calculated at 1/36th of your weekly rate × 2. There is no time-and-a-half under this EBA. If your payslip shows 1.5x, contact your delegate or CFMEU.
Weekend OT Minimum (Clause 39.8)
4 hrs min @ 2×
Called in on Saturday or Sunday? Minimum 4 hours at double time regardless of how long you work.
Public Holiday Work (Clause 39.9)
2.5× + 4 hr min
Working on a public holiday = double time and a half (2.5×) with a minimum 4 hours.
Christmas & Easter Work (Clause 41.7)
300% = Triple Time
Working any day between Christmas Day and New Year's Day, or Good Friday to Easter Monday = 300% of your hourly rate (on top of accrued leave). This is only with proper consultation and agreement.
Minimum Rest Between Shifts (Clause 40.6)
10 hrs
Must have 10 consecutive hours off after overtime before next shift. If you come back without 10 hrs rest (with your agreement), all hours are at double time until released. After 2 days of extended overtime, minimum rest increases to 12 hours.
Pre-Overtime Rest Break (Clause 40.2)
20 min paid
Required to work more than 2 hours overtime? You get a 20-minute paid break before starting. If they don't give it to you, those 20 minutes count as overtime.
Overtime Meal Allowance (Clause 39.4)
$31.98
Working 1.5+ hours overtime on an ordinary day? You get $31.98 meal allowance (from 1 March 2024, CPI-adjusted each March).
RDOs — Rostered Days Off (Clause 38)
26/year
10-day/2-week cycle: work 9 days at 8hrs + 0.8hr accrual = 10th day off (RDO). That's 26 RDOs per year. RDOs are paid at ordinary rate + travel + site allowances. Employer must follow consultation procedure to require RDO work — without it, you're paid at public holiday rates (2.5×).
🚗 Travel Entitlements (Clause 27)
Daily Travel Allowance (Clause 27.5)
$54.50/day
$54.50 for every day you work (or report for duty) at a site within 50km of a capital city GPO. CPI-adjusted each March — approximately $55.85 from March 2025. Counted in your annual leave loading calculation. If you work any day and don't get this, you're being underpaid.
Outside Radial Area Travel (Clause 27.8)
OT rate + $0.57/km
If employer requires you to travel outside the 50km zone: you get the $54.50 allowance plus time spent travelling outside ordinary hours paid at ordinary rate (min ½ hr each way), plus $0.57/km in own vehicle.
Site-to-Site Transfer (Clause 27.12)
$0.95/km
Moved from one site to another during working hours in your own vehicle at employer's request = $0.95/km plus all travel time is paid working time.
🏠 Living Away From Home — LAHA (Appendix H)
Weekly LAHA Rate
$913.75/week
Qualify when: the job is too far to return home each night AND you maintain a separate home residence. Rate = $913.75/week or $180.75/day for part-weeks. CPI-adjusted each March. LAHA is not wages (so no super, no OT multiplier applies to it).
Additional Overnight Allowance
$13.95/night
On top of LAHA: $13.95 per night you are required to stay away from home.
Weekend Return Home (App. H 1.6)
$41.10
If you work as required the day before/after a weekend, notify employer by Tuesday, and return home for the weekend → $41.10 weekend return allowance.
🏦 Super, Redundancy & Long Service
Superannuation (Clause 23)
$280/wk or 11.5%
Employer pays the higher of $280/week OR 11.5% of ordinary time earnings (OTE) into CBus. Rises to 12% from 1 July 2025. OTE includes wages, site allowance, multi-storey, leading hand — NOT overtime or travel allowance.
Incolink — Redundancy (Clause 25)
$160/week
Employer pays $160/week into your Incolink redundancy account. It's YOUR money — builds up over your career. Includes income protection and trauma insurance. Check balance at incolink.org.au.
Long Service Leave (Clause 24 — LeavePlus)
13 wks @ 10 yrs
Eligible to claim after 7 years (1,820 days) of continuous recorded service in the industry — portable across employers via LeavePlus. Your service record follows you across every construction employer you work for. If you leave the industry with over 7 years accrued, your entitlement remains yours and doesn't expire. Check your balance at leaveplus.com.au.
🌿 Leave
Annual Leave (Clause 41)
4 weeks + 17.5%
4 weeks paid leave + 17.5% loading. Formula: (Weekly rate + weekly travel) × 0.175 ÷ 13. Loading also paid out on termination.
Personal/Carer's Leave (Clause 43)
10 days/year
10 days paid personal/carer's leave per year. 5 days upfront on commencement. Accumulates year to year. Paid at ordinary rate.
Family & Domestic Violence Leave (Clause 48)
10 days/year
10 days paid from first day of employment for employees experiencing family or domestic violence.
Building Industry Picnic Day (Clause 49)
Paid day off
First Monday in December — paid day off. If required to work: double time and a half, minimum 4 hours.
🔧 Special Rates (Appendix M)
Demolition (Clause 27.19(d))
$9.70/hr
Directly performing demolition = $9.70/hr OR site allowance, whichever is greater (from 1 March 2024; CPI-adjusted annually).
Confined Space (App. M 1.6(d))
$1.06/hr
Working in a cramped space or without sufficient ventilation = $1.06/hr extra.
Asbestos Eradication (App. M 1.6(l))
$2.84/hr
Asbestos removal/neutralisation = $2.84/hr. PPE (protective suit + breathing apparatus) = additional $1.06/hr.
Hot Work (App. M 1.6(b))
$0.85–$1.06/hr
Artificial heat 46–54°C = $0.85/hr. Over 54°C = $1.06/hr. If continuous more than 2 hours → 20-minute paid rest break every 2 hours.
Toxic Substances (App. M 1.6(i))
$1.06/hr
Using epoxy or two-pack catalyst materials = $1.06/hr. Working near someone using them = $0.85/hr.
Carrying Fuels in Own Vehicle (App. M 1.6(s))
$14.06/day
Carrying fuels, oils or greases in own vehicle for employer's plant = $14.06/day on top of normal travel allowance.
Hydraulic Hammer (App. M 1.7(o))
$1.43/hr all purposes
Operating hydraulic hammer on excavator = $1.43/hr for all purposes (included in OTE).
🏗️ Site Allowances (Appendix C)
How Site Allowances Work
Based on project value
Applies to projects over $5.7M. City of Melbourne new work: $5.00/hr (up to $289.1M). Victoria outside CoM: $2.85/hr ($5.7M–$34.7M) scaling to $8.10/hr ($3.47B+). Major projects: North East Link $10.75/hr · Metro Tunnel $11.10/hr · West Gate Tunnel $10.70/hr. Paid for all ordinary and overtime hours. NOT paid during periods of paid leave. CPI-adjusted each October.
👷 Casual Employees (Clause 14)
💡 Are you actually casual? Just because your employer calls you "casual" doesn't make it legal. Under Clause 14.5, if you work a regular pattern, do the same work as permanent employees, and can't practically refuse shifts — you may not be a true casual. You could be entitled to permanent entitlements. Talk to your CFMEU delegate.
Casual Loading — Ordinary Hours (Clause 14.9)
125% of base rate
Casuals are paid 125% of the ordinary rate for their classification — that's your base rate plus a 25% casual loading. For example, a casual CW3 Carpenter earns $62.21 × 1.25 = $77.76/hr for ordinary hours. This loading compensates for not getting annual leave, sick leave, or notice of termination.
Casual Overtime (Clause 14.10 & 14.11)
Base rate + 25% casual loading on top
When a casual works overtime or other penalty rates, the casual loading stacks on top of the penalty. Any work over 8 hours in a day attracts overtime rates.

How the maths works:
• Ordinary hours: 100% base + 25% casual = 125%
• Overtime (double time): 200% base + 25% casual = 225%
• Public holiday (2.5×): 250% base + 25% casual = 275%
Minimum Engagement (Clause 14.8)
8 hrs minimum per day
Every time a casual is required to attend work, they must be paid a minimum of 8 hours at their casual rate, plus the daily travel allowance ($54.50). Even if they're sent home after 2 hours, they get paid for 8. Don't let an employer short-change you on this.
Public Holidays (Clause 14.12)
275%
A casual required to work on a public holiday gets paid 275% of their ordinary hourly rate — that's the 250% public holiday rate plus 25% casual loading. Minimum 4 hours.
RDOs — Casuals Don't Accrue (Clause 14.14)
No RDO accrual
Casuals do not accrue RDOs under this EBA. However, if a casual is directed to work on a scheduled RDO day, full penalty rates apply — they can't be made to work an RDO at ordinary rates just because they're casual.
Picnic Day (Clause 14.16)
Paid if eligible
A casual who works the Friday before AND the Tuesday after the Building Industry Picnic Day (first Monday in December) is entitled to Picnic Day off with pay — 8 hours at their casual rate. If required to work Picnic Day, double time and a half applies (plus casual loading).
Super & Incolink — Full Rate (Clause 14.13)
Full weekly rate, not pro-rata
Industry fund contributions (super and Incolink) must be paid at the full weekly rate — not pro-rata. This means even if you only work a couple of days, your employer still owes the full $280/week super minimum and $160/week Incolink. Multiple engagements in one week don't create multiple fund payment entitlements though.
Termination Notice (Clause 14.15)
1 hour notice
A casual's employment can be terminated with just 1 hour's notice. Unlike permanent employees, casuals don't get weeks of notice or redundancy pay — this is one of the key differences the 25% loading is meant to compensate for.
Leave Entitlements — What Casuals DON'T Get (Clause 14.6)
Excluded entitlements
Casuals are not entitled to: annual leave, paid personal/carer's leave, paid jury service, paid compassionate leave, paid parental leave, or payment for public holidays not worked. The 25% casual loading is meant to compensate for these. Everything else in the EBA applies to casuals.
Casual Conversion — Your Right to Go Permanent (Clause 14.18)
After 4 weeks
If you've been engaged regularly and systematically for more than 4 weeks, you have the right to request in writing that your employment be converted to permanent. Your employer has 7 days to respond in writing. If they don't respond within 7 days, you automatically become permanent. If they refuse your request, your casual loading immediately increases to 75% (making your ordinary rate 175% of base).
💰 Wage Rates — Appendix B

All four years of the EBA from Appendix B of the signed agreement.

From first pay period on/after 1 July 2024

Classification$/hr$/weekRDO/day
TRADES — CW3
Carpenter/Joiner/Tile-layer/Stonemason/Plasterer/Cladding Fixer$56.43$2,031.48$45.14
Bricklayer$55.97$2,014.92$44.78
Painter — New Work$55.15$1,985.40$44.12
Painter — Re-paint$55.08$1,982.88$44.06
TRADES — CW4 / CW5
Marker/Setter Out/Letter Cutter (CW4)$58.73$2,114.28$46.98
Sign Writer (CW4)$57.50$2,070.00$46.00
Specialist Tradesperson/Carver (CW5)$60.94$2,193.84$48.75
LABOURERS
Grade 1 — Rigger/Dogman/Sign Industry (CW3)$54.84$1,974.24$43.87
Grade 2 — Scaffolder/Steel Fixer/Conc. Finisher (CW2)$53.03$1,909.08$42.42
Grade 3 — Labourer/Jackhammer/Conc. Cutting (CW1)$51.38$1,849.68$41.10
CRANE CREWS
Tower Crane Operator/Dogman (CW7)$63.88$2,299.68$51.10
Trainee Dogman on Fixed Cranes (CW5)$59.41$2,138.76$47.53
PLANT OPERATORS
PCW1 — New Entrant/Rollers to 5t$49.42$1,779.12$39.54
PCW2 — Rollers 5-10t/Backhoe to 200kw/Trucks to 12t$51.32$1,847.52$41.06
PCW3 — Excavators to 16t/Forklift/Winch$53.45$1,924.20$42.76
PCW4 — Excavators 16-25t/Cranes to 15t$55.67$2,004.12$44.54
PCW5 — Excavators 25-65t/Cranes 15-100t$57.91$2,084.76$46.33
PCW6 — Excavators 65-115t/Tower Cranes$60.21$2,167.56$48.17
PCW7 — Excavators 115t+$62.50$2,250.00$50.00

From first pay period on/after 1 February 2025

Classification$/hr$/weekRDO/day
TRADES — CW3
Carpenter/Joiner/Tile-layer/Stonemason/Plasterer/Cladding Fixer$59.25$2,133.00$47.40
Bricklayer$58.77$2,115.72$47.02
Painter — New Work$57.91$2,084.76$46.33
Painter — Re-paint$57.83$2,081.88$46.26
TRADES — CW4 / CW5
Marker/Setter Out/Letter Cutter (CW4)$61.67$2,220.12$49.34
Sign Writer (CW4)$60.38$2,173.68$48.30
Specialist Tradesperson/Carver (CW5)$63.99$2,303.64$51.19
LABOURERS
Grade 1 — Rigger/Dogman (CW3)$57.58$2,072.88$46.06
Grade 2 — Scaffolder/Steel Fixer/Conc. Finisher (CW2)$55.68$2,004.48$44.54
Grade 3 — Labourer/Jackhammer (CW1)$53.95$1,942.20$43.16
CRANE CREWS
Tower Crane Operator/Dogman (CW7)$67.07$2,414.52$53.66
Trainee Dogman on Fixed Cranes (CW5)$62.38$2,245.68$49.90
PLANT OPERATORS
PCW1$51.89$1,868.04$41.51
PCW2$53.89$1,940.04$43.11
PCW3$56.12$2,020.32$44.90
PCW4$58.45$2,104.20$46.76
PCW5$60.81$2,189.16$48.65
PCW6$63.22$2,275.92$50.58
PCW7$65.63$2,362.68$52.50

✅ CURRENT — From first pay period on/after 1 February 2026

Classification$/hr$/weekRDO/day
TRADES
Carpenter/Joiner/Stonemason/Plasterer/Cladding (CW3)$62.21$2,239.56$49.77
Bricklayer (CW3)$61.71$2,221.56$49.37
Painter New Work (CW3)$60.81$2,189.16$48.65
Painter Re-paint (CW3)$60.72$2,185.92$48.58
Marker/Setter Out (CW4)$64.75$2,331.00$51.80
Sign Writer (CW4)$63.40$2,282.40$50.72
Specialist Tradesperson (CW5)$67.19$2,418.84$53.75
LABOURERS
Grade 1 — Rigger/Dogman (CW3)$60.46$2,176.56$48.37
Grade 2 — Scaffolder/Steel Fixer (CW2)$58.46$2,104.56$46.77
Grade 3 — Labourer/Jackhammer (CW1)$56.65$2,039.40$45.32
CRANE CREWS / PLANT OPERATORS
Tower Crane Operator/Dogman (CW7)$70.42$2,535.12$56.34
Trainee Dogman (CW5)$65.50$2,358.00$52.40
PCW1$54.48$1,961.28$43.58
PCW2$56.58$2,036.88$45.26
PCW3$58.93$2,121.48$47.14
PCW4$61.37$2,209.32$49.10
PCW5$63.85$2,298.60$51.08
PCW6$66.38$2,389.68$53.10
PCW7$68.91$2,480.76$55.13

From first pay period on/after 1 February 2027

Classification$/hr$/weekRDO/day
PLANT OPERATORS (from EBA Appendix B Section 4)
PCW1$57.20$2,059.20$45.76
PCW2$59.41$2,138.76$47.53
PCW3$61.88$2,227.68$49.50
PCW4$64.44$2,319.84$51.55
PCW5$67.04$2,413.44$53.63
PCW6$69.70$2,509.20$55.76
PCW7$72.36$2,604.96$57.89
Trades, Labourers & Crane rates — see EBA Appendix B Section 4 for full table
🤖 Ask EBA Mate

Ask any question about your rights, pay or entitlements under the CFMEU Vic On-Site EBA 2024–2027.

Overtime rate?
What is LAHA?
Travel allowance?
How do RDOs work?
Super entitlements?
What is Incolink?
Demo allowance?
Site allowances?
Working an RDO?
Rest between shifts?
Leave loading?
Being underpaid?
Checking the EBA…
🤖 Answers are grounded in the actual CFMEU (Vic) EBA 2024–2027. For official advice: CFMEU (03) 9341 3444 · vic.cfmeu.org · Fair Work Ombudsman 13 13 94.
🚨 Underpayment Checker

Enter what you were actually paid and what you should have been paid. We'll calculate the shortfall and write a letter to your payroll.

Shortfall
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EBA Ordinary Pay (should be)—
EBA Overtime Pay (should be)—
EBA Travel Allowance (should be)—
EBA Total You Should Have Been Paid—
You Were Actually Paid—
Shortfall—
This checker is a guide only. For formal disputes contact CFMEU (03) 9341 3444 or Fair Work Ombudsman 13 13 94.
📅 RDO Tracker

Under Clause 38, you work a 10-day/2-week cycle — 9 days at 8hrs + 0.8hr accrual each day = 1 paid RDO every fortnight (26 per year). Enter your start date to track your upcoming RDOs.

Next RDO
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Days Since Start
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RDOs Accrued Total
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RDOs Available Now
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Each RDO Worth
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Next 6 Upcoming RDOs
📅 RDO dates are sourced from the official CFMEU Victoria On-Site 36-Hour RDO Calendar. All RDOs fall on Mondays industry-wide — unless a public holiday falls on that Monday, in which case the RDO shifts to the next available working day. Your employer must observe these industry dates (Appendix D). Always verify at vic.cfmeu.org/rdo-calendars — dates for 2027 are projected and subject to official CFMEU release.
🏠 LAHA Eligibility Checker

Answer a few questions to find out if you're entitled to the Living Away From Home Allowance under Appendix H of the EBA.

1. Is the job site too far from your usual home address to reasonably return home each night?

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LAHA eligibility is determined by Appendix H of the EBA. If your employer disputes your entitlement, contact CFMEU on (03) 9341 3444.