Australian Workers’ Union declares victory in public service pay dispute

The Australian Workers’ Union has declared victory in the ongoing dispute with the State Government over a wage freeze for public servants. This is when workers will get their pay increases.

WAGE increases for some health workers have been deferred until early 2022 however staff will receive their 2019 pay rise with backpay.

The Courier-Mail has obtained a flyer the Australian Workers’ Union sent to its members today detailing the agreement.

According to the flyer, members will receive their 2019 wage increase with backpay and a $1250 sign on bonus, while the 2020 increase will be deferred until early 2022 - meaning members will receive a 5 per cent increase that year.

AWU members include hospital orderlies and cleaners.

“The Queensland Government has committed to paying this by July 1 - we’ll be making sure that they stick to this,” the flyer says.

“While this is a big step forward, we know that deferrals are never ideal and we want as many members as possible to have their say.”

Two months after Premier Annastacia Palaszcuk announced a public servant pay freeze she is still not committing to a date

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Queensland’s health workers have had their pay increases deferred until early 2022.

The AWU, which has been vocal in pushing against the wage freeze announced by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in early April, is claiming the decision as a win.

The Courier-Mail has been told legislation will be rushed through Parliament this week enshrining the pay freeze.

AWU secretary Steve Baker this afternoon said while the union never supported deferring wage increases and backing out of pre-existing deals, it was grateful the Premier had listened to thousands of frontline health workers.

“This ensures that at the very least frontline health workers aren’t left behind the rest of the public service and aren’t left completely out in the cold,” he said.

“For them to miss out on these payments at the same time as they are putting their own safety at risk to fight back against the COVID-19 pandemic never passed the pub test, and committing to paying them is a welcome step forward by the Government.”

Meanwhile Queensland Teachers’ Union members could strike over the freeze, today claiming the Government hadn’t made a decision yet.

The union will ballot its members on whether to strike, whether to agree with it and also on possible work bans to address workloads.

“Unsurprisingly, given our opposition, the QTU has been excluded from meetings over the past few days,” the union said in information to members today.

“But the next pay increase under the enterprise bargaining agreements in both schools and TAFE is due on 1 July and a government decision is imminent.”

The union wrote that despite members lobbying MPs in recent weeks, it “suspects” the Government will legislate to enact the freeze.

“An employer can take no more grievous action than break an agreement it has made with its employees and their union by refusing to pay salary increases agreed for work done,” the union wrote.

“For a government employer to do so by legislation adds salt to the wound.”