Bundaberg Council staff win 2.2 per cent pay rise

Bundaberg Regional Council’s $76m employe bill is going to creep higher after its more than 800 strong workforce secured a three-year pay deal with management in a move hailed by the worker’s union as a win that will put money back into the community.

Bundaberg Regional Council’s workers have secured a minimum $30 per week payrise for the next thrree years. Photo: Max Fleet / NewsMail

Bundaberg Regional Council’s more than 800 strong workforce has landed a three year pay deal from management following months of fighting and protests.

Under the deal which was certified on Thursday January 13, council workers will first get an annual pay increase of 2.2 per cent or $30 per week, whichever is the greater.

In years two and three staff will receive an increase of either 2.2 per cent, the rate of the Brisbane annual consumer price index increase, or $30 per week, whichever is greater.

The new agreement would see staff receive an increase of at least $1560 per year.

The pay rise will add to a creeping staff wage bill for the council, which according to its annual reports has jumped from $64m in 2015-16 to $76m in the last financial year.

Services Union Organiser Tom Rivers said the increase is a win for its members.

“We’re pretty happy with the outcome because members were happy with the outcome,” he said.

“It was quite a modest increase and to get the CPI buffer in years two and years three was quite important for members.”

In June 2021 staff protested the council’s offer reportedly of a 1.75 per cent increase with CEO Steve Johnston saying negotiations between council and workers were ongoing and they hoped to come to an agreement within a few weeks.

Bundaberg Regional Council CEO Steve Johnston said the deal allowed the council to continue delivering its services across the region.

The council offered the 2.2 per cent raise in late July.

Mr Johnston said Friday the initial increase in the new agreement was “well below the current inflation rate”.

“Council’s previous Certified Agreement expired in December 2021,” Mr Johnston said Friday.

“The last increase provided under that agreement was paid over 12 months ago.

“The new agreement was recently ratified by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission following several months of negotiation with all relevant unions and resulted in moderate pay increases.”

Asked what the potential impact of the deal would be on ratepayers could be, Mr Johnston said the wage rise “will be factored into (the) council’s operational budget when adopted in June for 2022-23”.

In December it was revealed Federal financial assistance funding to the council was being slashed by $2m, raising concerns about a potential rate rise or cuts to services.

Mr Rivers says the pay rise would put money back into the community after Australia’s Covid outbreak left many businesses struggling.

“If people are getting pay increases of 2.2 per cent and above, people are going to be going to the local coffee shop and local restaurants and we’re going to see a lot more of that after the last two years of lockdowns,” he said.

“If the cost of living does skyrocket, then it is a responsibility for employers to be paying their staff more and foot the bill for the cost of living.

“Energy bills go up, petrol goes up, internet goes up, we don’t want to see people suffering.”

Mr Johnston said the rise would ensure the council could continue delivering services to the region.

“Council is one of the region’s largest employers providing more services to our residents than most Councils in Australia do,” Mr Johnson said.

“It’s important that we have a stable workforce capable of delivering those services as we are currently experiencing a period of unprecedented growth in the local economy.”