Further to SITREP 22, permanent members should by now have been paid the 2.27% increase in rates of pay and allowances, backdated to 21 February 2014, which was the first day of the new pay period following the nominal expiry of the 2011 Award. The exceptions are the Award’s meal and travelling allowances, which are adjusted separately from 1 July each year in line with ATO’s reasonable allowance amounts. This year’s rates are therefore not yet available, but are expected shortly and will be published as soon as possible in a future edition of SITREP.
Union dues – increase and tax reminder
In accordance with the Union’s registered rules, Union dues will increase by 2.27% on 27 June (not 21 February), rising by 29 cents for permanent members from $12.84 to $13.13, and by 6 cents for retained members from $2.57 to $2.63 per week. And with the end of the financial year upon us, members are once again reminded to claim your Union dues as a work-related tax deduction for the 2013/14 year. This amount should appear on your PAYG Payment Summary (ie, Group Certificate) issued by FRNSW.
Baird Govt spears High Court challenge?
Further to the latest updates in SITREPs 20 and 22 regarding the High Court appeal by NSW unions to bring this year’s wage 2.27% increase back up to 2.5%, it emerged this week that the Baird Government had in fact snuck the legislative amendments necessary to make this wage cut law. The Opposition, the Greens and the other minor parties who had successfully blocked previous attempts to do this (see SITREP 33/2013) were all blindsided by a Government that clearly has as little respect for Parliament as it does for its workforce.
Unions NSW Secretary, Mark Lennon was no more impressed than we were: “Having been repeatedly rebuffed by both the upper house and numerous courts, the State Government has resorted to parliamentary trickery. This is deceptive action by a Government that is absolutely determined to stop public sector workers maintaining their standard of living. Just one week ago, Mike Baird was cooing about the strength of the budget, now he’s trying to fleece firefighters, nurses, teachers and other public sector workers of their pay and smash their job security. The Premier may be able to fool the upper house, but he cannot fool 320,000 public sector workers.”
Members who can do so are reminded and encouraged to attend the coming Bust the Budget rally on Sunday 6 July, at Sydney Town Hall and regional centres (see www.unionsnsw.org.au for details).
Jim Casey
State Secretary
For a printable version of this SITREP, please click here.
Inside this issue: