Minimum wage decision to come on Monday June 2, 2013 - 7:17PM Australia's 1.5 million low paid workers will learn on Monday how much extra they'll get in their pay packets when the Fair Work Commission hands down its minimum wage decision. Unions have called for a $30 a week increase while the employers want $5.80, describing the ACTU claim as reckless. The ACTU proposal would lift the minimum wage from $15.96 per hour to $16.75 an hour, or $636.40 per week. ACTU secretary Dave Oliver said anything lower than $30 would entrench a widening income gap between the low paid and the rest of the workforce. He said last year's wage rise of $17.10 was absorbed by business and the economy continued to grow. "Wages growth has been steady but not excessive across the economy and inflation is low," Mr Oliver said. He said now was the time to look after the urgent needs of low-paid workers such as cleaners, hospitality staff and unskilled labourers. The Gillard government is calling for an "appropriate increase" in the national minimum wage and award wages. "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," the government's submission said. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Peter Andersen said a $30 hike could jeopardise jobs and hurt small business. "The ACTU claim is reckless," Mr Anderson said. There is no doubt that thousands of jobs will have their job security weakened. Many employers will see a big wage increase in this case as the straw that breaks the camel's back.