Public Sector Wages and Conditions

Union breaks 2.5% ceiling on Public Sector Pay Rise

David Carey, Secretary of the CPSU-SPSF, the national union for State Public Sector workers said today:

"This is the beginning of the end of the 2.5% per annum ceiling set by State Treasurers in a deal on public sector wages made by State governments last year."

The public sector salary bargaining round for other States is likely to be affected by this offer. Thousands of Victorian public servants, members of the CPSU, are applying bans in support of their claim of 6 percent per annum against a Victorian State government offer of no more than 2.75%.

Months of industrial action by South Australian public servants will be followed by a public service-wide stoppage and rally in Adelaide tomorrow, Tuesday the 24th February. South Australian public servant members of the CPSU/ PSA have been asking for a "Fair Deal" from the Rann Government since September last year.

Western Australian public servants were recently called down to the West Australian Industrial Commission to arbitrate on their 6% per year claim after the CPSU/CSA membership rejected an offer of a little over 3% for each year.

"The message from the offer in Tasmania is that the '2.5% limit' by State government employers has been broken and a new minimum rate has been set for the State public sector" said Mr Carey.

New South Wales public servants will launch their claim soon. The current NSW pay award runs out in July 2004. The State public services union, the PSA, is unlikely to accept anything less than the Tasmanian 4% plus deal.

The CPSU-SPSF has 110,000 members and is the national union for State public servants in every State.

© 2001 Community & Public Sector Union - State Public Services Federation (CPSU-SPSF) - National Office

http://www.cpsu-spsf.asn.au/campaigns/public_sector_wages/20040223_185.html
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005