The NSW Government's bid to freeze public servants' pay has been disallowed in their Legislative Council in a significant win for the union movement. In moving the disallowance motion in the Legislative Council the Shadow IR Minister said the wage freeze policy was not only "unfair to the 400,000 workers it will impact but also it is an act of economic vandalism".  "No matter which way you spin it, this is a cut in the purchasing power of the more than 400,000 workers who live in every suburb, town and village across New South Wales."

Unions NSW secretary Mark Morey told Workplace Express that unions informed the State Government before the parliamentary vote that members "rejected the offer as not adequate and short changing workers who had got them through the bushfires and COVID-19".

He also thanked Opposition and crossbench members for their support, saying the "Upper House has helped prevent the NSW Government turning a recession into a depression".

The NSW Government has now taken off the table its offer of a $1000 "bonus" and job guarantee in lieu of a pay rise for frontline public servants, as it pursues the freeze in the NSW IRC, following the disallowance motion in the Upper House.

The State tribunal will start conciliating the Berejiklian Government's bid to freeze public servants' pay, after unions yesterday rejected the bonus offer and the Legislative Council disallowed the year-long "pay pause".