NT public servants accept government’s wage freeze offer

Improved compassionate leave provisions are among the entitlements public servants will have under the new Enterprise Agreement.

UPDATE: PUBLIC servants will be entitled to improved compassionate leave provisions and right to return from parental leave part time, among other benefits following the approval of the NT Public Sector Enterprise Agreement.

Aside from three days paid Christmas leave this year and a $4000 lump sum, Public Employment Minister Paul Kirby said other benefits included:

– Improved compassionate leave provisions

– 5 days for immediate family or household member

– 3 days for extended family member (i.e. aunt, uncle, cousin) or in the case of miscarriage

– Improved overtime provisions where overtime worked spans midnight

– Improvements for parents

– Right to return from parental leave on a part-time basis

– Employer superannuation contributions paid at double the legislated rate during a period of paid Primary Caregiver leave or Special Maternity Leave (stillbirth)

– Minimum daily engagement period for casual employees of 3 hours

– No reduction to current or future employee rights and entitlements.

Public Employment Minister Paul Kirby thanked public servants for their participation in the ballot.

“This agreement provides for a range of significantly improved employment conditions, including leave entitlements and job certainty,” he said.

EARLIER: NORTHERN Territory public servants have voted in support of the government’s enterprise agreement offer, which includes a wage freeze.

Public servants voted 3775 to 2803 in favour of the Government’s new wages policy about – 57 per cent in favour of the Government’s offer

The Government won over public servants with a $4000 pre-Christmas hand-out and a string of other concessions.

When public servants overwhelmingly rejected the Government’s wages plan in November, only a $1000 payment was on the table.

On top of the $4000 payment, the Government also pledged an additional $2000 lump sum every year for the remaining three years of the agreement. That’s $10,000 for the approximately 13,000 public servants impacted.

Other sweeteners offered by the Government include new leave to cover Christmas close-downs, gender transition leave and measures to improve work life balance.

CPSU NT regional secretary Kay Densley said the outcome of the ballot was not as surprise given the revised offer put on the table by the Territory Government.

“Dangling money and threatening to cut people’s jobs. What do you reckon?”

She said other arms of the public service including firefighters, corrections officers, teachers and nurses are still to vote for the agreement. PowerWater and Jacana Energy had earlier rejected the offer.

Chief Minister and Treasurer Michael Gunner announced a wages freeze in the May Territory budget following a recommendation contained in the 2019 Langoulant report into Budget repair.

Originally published as NT public servants accept government’s wage freeze offer