MINNS GOVERNMENT FINALLY ANNOUNCES PUBLIC SECTOR WAGES OFFER
After months of delays and uncertainty, the Minns Government has today finally announced its public sector wages offer, and I think it’s fair to say that it probably wasn’t worth the wait.
With the IRC scheduled for 10am this morning, we received the offer at approximately 6pm last night and it had hit the press by this morning. For those of you that haven’t seen it, please follow this linkfor a copy of the letter we received.
In summary they have offered us, along with the rest of the public sector (most of whom have Awards due to expire at the end of this financial year) a 9.5% wage increase plus 1% superannuation increase spread across 3 years as follows:
Year 1
4% wage and superannuation increase comprising of:
3.0% baseline increase to wages and allowances.
0.5% superannuation increase.
A further 0.5% increase for workers who have not received structural adjustment in the past 12 months, provided agreement is reached in a timely manner for instruments that have expired or will expire by 30 June 2024.
A $1000 taxable, one-off cost of living adjustment payment, plus superannuation, conditional on the 12-month annual average Sydney Consumer Price Index rate exceeding 4.5 per cent in the year to the March quarter of 2025. The payment would be pro-rated for employees who do not work full time and will be paid in July 2025.
Year 2
5% wage and superannuation increase comprising of:
3.0% baseline increase to wages and allowances.
0.5% superannuation increase.
A $1000 taxable, one-off cost of living adjustment payment, plus superannuation, conditional on the 12-month annual average Sydney Consumer Price Index rate exceeding 4.5 per cent in the year to the March quarter of 2025. The payment would be pro-rated for employees who do not work full time and will be paid in July 2026.
Year 3
3.0% baseline increase to wages and allowances.
A $1000 taxable, one-off cost of living adjustment payment, plus superannuation, conditional on the 12-month annual average Sydney Consumer Price Index rate exceeding 4.5 per cent in the year to the March quarter of 2025. The payment would be pro-rated for employees who do not work full time and will be paid in July 2027.
The letter also advises that:
Through a collaborative approach to negotiation and bargaining, agencies and unions can identify system changes, productivity outcomes or savings to enhance the baseline wages offer set out in this letter. Acceptance of this offer will also not prevent continuing collaborative discussions during the life of an agreement that can deliver additional enhancements for employees and improved Government services to the public.
Not sure what that means? Neither are we at this stage. We are seeking urgent clarification from Treasury and the IR Minister as to how this impacts our ongoing negotiations.
SCOM will be discussing the offer at our meeting next week and considering a pathway forward. In the meantime, our view is that this is very much a baseline offer and we intend to continue to prosecute our full Log of Claims until we reach a fair and reasonable resolution on all three Awards that Respects, Protects and Values the work of NSW professional firefighters.
SCOM meets Thursday week, and we are back before the IRC on Friday 31 May. Further updates will follow.
