Major delays in work agreement approvals

Enterprise agreement approvals have blown out to an average of 76 days, with the Fair Work Commission's performance the worst in recent years.

Employer groups have slammed the lengthy delays, which are more than double the commission's aim of 32-day approvals during the 2017/18 financial year.

"I don't know about the worst on record, but certainly in recent years," Fair Work Commission general manager Bernadette O'Neill told a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday.

She said high volumes of agreements which didn't fully comply with requirements were behind the spike in approval times.

While the commission was given more discretion to approve agreements with technical errors late last year, Ms O'Neill said it was too early to say whether the reforms would help performance.

The hearing was also told that six Fair Work Commission deputy presidents appointed late last year are on $461,850 apiece, while a new commissioner is getting an annual salary of $380,350.

Labor has criticised the appointments, arguing the coalition has stacked the commission with employer representatives rather than a union background.

"They won't have any trouble paying their electricity bills," opposition frontbencher Doug Cameron said.