NT Gov confirms end of wages cap policy ahead of public service vote
Unions say an offer to thousands of Territory workers remains ‘insufficient’ as the NT government has baulked for a second time on its 3 per cent Wages Policy. Read the latest here.
The NT Government has baulked on its three per cent wages offer cap for more than 14,000 public servants, but many unions say the latest offer is still “insufficient”.
Last Thursday the Public Employment Commissioner Nicole Hurwood released the government’s second round pay offer to the 10 unions representing the public service.
For nearly 10 months the NT Government has maintained it would not offer more than a flat 3 per cent per annum increase over the four-year deal, however Ms Hurwood broke the Wages Policy for a second time by offering the public service a 3.5 per cent increased only in 2027 and 2028.
The offer increased the total minimum salary offer slightly, from 12 to 13 per cent over four years.
In a letter obtained by the NT News, Ms Hurwood confirmed to the unions that the government had backed down on the “key issue” of the wages cap following the mediation with the Fair Work Commissioner.
Ms Hurwood said the one per cent increase to the four year deal was a “very generous remuneration package”, which “delivers real wages growth and exceeds the projected CPI”.
“I maintain that the improved offer I have presented will deliver competitive wages and solid employment conditions over the next four years and to that end, in a genuine attempt to settle negotiations and finalise bargaining.” she said.
Given the 2025-26 NT Budget inflation estimates, the new proposal offers only a 2.7 per cent real wage increase for 14,000 Territorians over four years.
Ms Hurwood also confirmed the government had backed down on its aim to scrap the two-year redeployment and redundancy scheme, which unions feared would undermine job security and allow sweeping redundancies across the public service.
The new government offer also increased the Professional Development allowance, offered Katherine and Alice Springs workers a $2000 “retention allowance”, offered allowances for employees doing “dirty work” or handling toxic substances, and provisions for extreme heat or working from home.
Ms Hurwood said she was unable to agree to all priority claims, but said the latest offer had a “number of significant concessions”.
None of the 10 unions contacted by the NT News have fully endorsed the government’s offer, with many confirming they would be telling their members to knock back the offer when the vote opened on Friday, December 5.
But one of the largest unions, the Community and Public Sector Union said it would not specifically direct its members on how to vote, calling on workers to “examine the offer closely and exercise their right to vote”.
NT Regional Secretary David Villegas said negotiations had secured some improvements, including overturning the scrapping of the redeployment register, breaking through the pay cap, and securing working from home conditions.
“CPSU members are currently weighing up the pros and cons of this offer and it’s fair to say there are mixed views,” Mr Villegas said.
“While some members feel that the latest proposal is significantly better than the government’s initial offer, others feel that the pay component is still not up to scratch, particularly compared to the deal given to NT Police.”
But multiple other unions have called on workers to reject the offer, saying the wage increase was insufficient and did not address critical workplace issues.
United Workers Union NT secretary Erina Early said members would be instructed to reject the offer, as it “still fails to deliver a real wage increase”.
Ms Early said health support workers impacted by the public service offer also calling for proper fatigue management and incentives to attract and retained specialised staff, including radiographers, sonographers, and biomedical staff.
“Our members know their worth,” she said.
“Their skills, dedication, and care keep the health system running, and they deserve wages and conditions that truly reflect the value of their work.
“This campaign is about respect, recognition, and fairness.”
Similarly Health Services Union NT Branch Secretary Billy Elrick, who represents allied health staff, said the Territory’s offer was “far lower” than most employers around Australia.
Mr Elrick said NT allied health workers were the worst paid in the country, with their South Australian peers recently securing 13.5 per cent increase over four years.
He compared the 13 per cent offer to Territory frontline workers to deal won by the NT Police Association, which secured 15 per cent over four years with backpay — and the 8 per cent pay bump over two years politicians gave themselves following the latest NT Remuneration Tribunal report.
Mr Elrick said while the government’s backdown on the redundancy and redeployment system was welcomed, the key issue in the health system was actually staffing shortages.
“While we never want to see such crucial terms go backwards, this was not a priority area. We need an EA that can attract and retain staff,” he said.
Unions with a smaller membership base impacted by the government offer said they would also be voting the offer down in solidarity with the large public service unions.
Electrical Trades Union NT Organiser Dave ‘Strawbs’ Hayes said “we will encourage our members to vote no to help other unions further their outstanding claims and to try and secure real wage increases”.
While the Maritime Union of Australia NT Branch Secretary Andy Burford said “we are still waiting on a couple of outstanding issues before we will vote the offer up”.
But Ms Hurwood told the NT News that the revised offer was “fair and fiscally responsible, and above the wages policy”, and highlighted that the unions had not “put forward productivity improvements or offsets savings during these negotiations”.
“We want our hardworking public service to get access to the new package as soon as possible – hopefully by Christmas,” she said.
“The decision as to whether employees think this is a fair offer rests with them.”
Voting closes on December 15.
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Originally published as NT Gov confirms end of wages cap policy ahead of public service vote
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