Labor claims Brisbane City Council trying to seek savings through wage cuts

Low-paid Brisbane council workers have been offered a wage rise less than their bosses who earn $170,000-plus a year. Labor says they’re being ripped off to pay for project blowouts but the LNP says it has boosted wages by 18 per cent since lockdown.

The Labor Opposition says council workers are being shortchanged.

• History of Qld council pay rises

Council workers have been offered a wage rise less than their bosses who earn more than $170,000 a year as the Labor Opposition claims the administration is shortchanging workers to help pay for cost blowouts.

The latest Enterprise Bargaining Agreement included a 3 per cent pay rise, less than the 4 per cent Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and his councillors were awarded by the independent Local Government Remuneration Commission.

Mr Schrinner takes home more than $400,000 a year, including an allowance, and his councillors more than $170,000 depending on their roles, after the latest backdated pay rise in July.

Incoming CEO Dr Kerrie Freeman will take home about $800,000.

But the LNP administration says it has already boosted wages more than 18 per cent since lockdown, including two rises of 7 per cent or more at the peak of the inflation bubble.

Labor Opposition Leader Jared Cassidy said the administration of targeting its workers through the EBA process to make savings as it battles surging costs.

He said the 3 per cent offer was a “slap in the face for workers’’.

Cr Jared Cassidy (left) has accused Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner (right) and his LNP administration of trying to find savings by limiting wage increases. Picture: Richard Walker

Mr Cassidy said the Lord Mayor received a $15,000 pay rise, yet a library assistant on $70,000 would receive only an extra $2000 under the EBA wage offer.

Council Civic Cabinet Chair Fiona Cunningham said Labor’s claims were false.

“The claims being made by the Labor Opposition are a lie,” she said.

“At the same time as the independent body made changes for elected State and local government representatives, Brisbane City Council staff were being offered a 7.4 per cent average pay rise.

“This followed an average pay increase of 7.18 per cent the year before.

“We are committed to supporting our strong and dedicated Council workforce and we believe our offer of six per cent over two years is fair and in line with current inflation.

“While the Council opposition are playing politics and telling lies, we will continue to negotiate with Council workers in good faith.”

It was also claimed Council has also proposed to reduce redundancy entitlements from three weeks per year of service to two weeks.

That meant a team leader working for 20 years would receive $50,000 less in redundancy provisions if they were sacked.

The Services Union, The Rail, Tram, and Bus Union and Australian Workers Union accused the administration of an unwillingness to address key demands.

Council was approached for comment.

Mr Cassidy said council must go back to the table with an offer that “reflected the hard work their employees put in, day in and day out’’.

“Council staff deserve better than to go backwards,’’ he said.

“We know that Brisbane City Council employs thousands of loyal and hardworking staff.

“This offer is nothing but a kick in the guts.

“How does Adrian Schrinner sleep at night when he accepts a 4 per cent pay rise one day and then offers 3 per cent to Council staff the next? It’s just wrong.

“What’s more concerning is their cuts to redundancy provisions.

“We’ve seen contract and temporary staff cut, casual staff cut and now we worry about permanent staff facing the chopping block next year.

“You wouldn’t seek to reduce redundancy payments unless you were going to offer them.’’

He claimed council was trying to save money because of big project budget blowouts, lavish opening parties, overseas travel and self-promotion.

The Labor Opposition says council workers are being shortchanged.

Rail Tram Bus Union assistant state secretary Tom Brown said the previous 7.4 per cent rise was more than a year ago and inflation had eaten up any benefit.

“They had to do it to stop the exit of bus drivers,” he said.

“I’ve also got a bad feeling about these redundancies. Are they gearing up to get rid of a lot of bus drivers?”

He pointed out that the current 3 per cent offer would not be backdated and was lower than Brisbane’s June quarter inflation rate of 3.4 per cent.

Inflation dropped markedly in the September quarter, however. Nationally, it fell to an annualised 2.8 per cent.

However, that was largely due to huge drops in a few items such as fuel and electricity.

Annualised trimmed mean inflation, which strips out volatile aspects such as electricity and fuel, was 3.5 per cent last month, up from 3.2 per cent in the previous month and similar to where it was in August.

But Mr Schrinner told council’s Tuesday meeting that unions had denied their members the right to accept the previous two wage offers and opted to go to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission.

“I genuinely believe we have been fair with our employees,” he said.

“I believe in a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.

“I would love to give them a say on it (the current offer).”

When asked by Mr Cassidy if he thought he deserved to be paid more than council workers, Mr Schrinner also pointed out that councillors’ and the mayor’s salaries were set by the independent commission.

“I understand Councillor Cassidy believes in truth telling. In fact this recent pay adjustment for councillors actually flowed from the state government pay increase up the road in George St,” he said.

“I didn’t hear him criticising that at all.”

He also said Mr Cassidy took his ward allowance, a payment started when Labor was in office, every year.