Australian government confirms two-year pay deal for 33,000 public sector staff

Elizabeth-Quay-Australia

The Australian government has confirmed a two-year pay deal for more than 33,000 public sector employees who are members of the Civil Service Association (CPSU/CSA) trade union.

The two-year deal, which was voted for by CPSU/CSA members, will see state government employees receive a $1,000 (£592.67) annual pay increase from both 13 June 2017 and 13 June 2018 in accordance with the Public sector wages policy statement 2017.

Under the terms of the deal, employees will also be have the right to access 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave if required.

The agreement also includes an enhanced consultation process for proposed changes within the workforce, and improved redundancy and redeployment provisions, including a comprehensive review of public sector redeployment and redundancy processes, and stronger case management for displaced employees.

The CPSU/CSA plans to reopen negotiations for its members in December 2018.

The new deal replaces nine previous industrial agreements covering public servants, government officers, school support officers, electorate officers, social trainers, jury officers, residential college supervisors and youth custodial officers.

The new agreement is being finalised for lodgement in the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission.

Bill Johnston, commerce and industrial relations minister, said: “I’m very pleased the overwhelming majority of Civil Service Association members that voted agreed to the $1,000 a year pay increase. The McGowan government supports a fair system for all Western Australian public servants.”

Rikki Hendon, assistant secretary at the CPSU/CSA, added: “This is an agreement that makes gains on issues important to our members. Their priority was always job security, fairer workloads and ensuring transparency in the public sector, and that is what this agreement delivers.

“Members have recognised the new deal will improve their work life and have [overwhelmingly] voted yes to the new two-year deal. The government came to the table on several issues including family and domestic violence leave, stronger redundancy and redeployment clauses and more transparency on the use of fixed-term contracts and labour hire. This has been a long bargaining process, but members are positive about the changes that will be implemented with this new deal.”