Brisbane City Council freezes staff and councillors’ pay

Wages will be frozen at Brisbane City Council for two years in a bid to build up a $36 million buffer against coronavirus losses but the union says although it would consider anything in these “difficult times”, it will not “negotiate by decree”.

Adrian Schrinner, after his victory for Lord Mayor in the Brisbane City Council election, City Hall Brisbane, Sunday 29th March 2020 - Photo Steve Pohlner

BRISBANE’S Lord Mayor says council’s wages will freeze in a bid to save jobs and continue services but the union says does he not have the power to impose such a freeze.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the measures would be implemented to help absorb the coronavirus crisis’ significant financial impact on the council’s budget.

He said the next Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA), which applied to most of the council’s almost 10,000 staff, was due for union negotiations from mid-April.

Cr Schrinner said Council’s last EBA provided a 2.5 per cent annual wage increase.

“I am confident the unions will understand the unprecedented circumstances our city finds itself in and will support this move,” he said.

“If we can achieve a pay freeze across all levels of council, we can save up to $36 million over two years, which will be an important buffer in ensuring jobs are retained and services continue.”

He said there would be no pay rises for “everyone for the top down” and that this was a time for the council to tighten its belt so it could better recover after the pandemic.

The Servies Union Neil Henderson said calls from the media was the first he had heard about the council wanting a two-year wage freeze.

“He’s (Cr Schrinner’s) getting a bit ahead of himself, is the nicest way I could put it,” he said.

Mr Henderson said these were “difficult times” and it may be that Cr Schrinner’s position was reasonable but the union would not “negotiate by decree”.

“What he’s doing is he’s flagging his bargaining position. He doesn’t have the power to have a wage freeze,” he said.

“We’ll sit down at a table in due course and have a discussion in accordance with the industrial relations act and we’ll either reach and agreement or we won’t reach an agreement.

“If we don’t reach an agreement there’s various paths that we might take.”

“We’ll look at anything, these are very interesting times so I’m not ruling anything in or out.”

Opposition leader Jared Cassidy said the workers directly affected by the announcement did not know anything about the plan to freeze wages until it was in the media.

“It’s appalling but not surprising,” he said.

“If we know one thing about this crisis it’s that we have to work together, not ram decisions down people’s throats.

He said over-runs on major projects like Brisbane Metro had drained hundreds of millions from from the budget.

“Now workers are being stuck with the bill,” he said.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the wage freeze was “an important part” of the council’s strategy to ensure it would be able to keep all its staff.

“We also do not want to add to the already critical unemployment crisis facing us as businesses close,” he said.

“Our city is hurting; our residents and businesses are struggling, and we must make decisions that ensure our essential services continue and our major projects are built.

Lord Mayoral and councillor salary is set by the Independent Remuneration Tribunal, which set councillors salary based on State MPs pay and allowances.

Councillors have not received a pay increase since 2018, and Cr Schrinner said this should be extended for a further two years.