$3000 cash bonus to one group of workers for efforts during Covid-19 pandemic

One group of workers in Australia will get a major one-off payment of $3000 as thanks for their sacrifices and effort during the pandemic.

Health workers in NSW will receive a one-off $3000 payment as thanks for their tireless efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet also announced on Monday a dramatic expansion of the state’s health workforce with an additional 10,000 staff over the next four years.

“I want to pay special tribute to our health workers who over the past two years have done an outstanding job,” he said.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has announced a dramatic expansion of the state’s health workforce. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

Annual wage increases for all public service workers including nurses, teachers and paramedics will also be lifted from 2.5 per cent to 3 per cent this year and to 3.5 per cent the following financial year.

“That’s up to 6.5 per cent pay increases for our public servants over the next two years,” Mr Perrottet said.

The increase is in addition to natural progression within the public sector and will apply to new industrial agreements that are struck from 1 July 2022.
The $3000 one-off payment will be available to paramedics, midwives, cleaners and all other permanent staff employed by the NSW Health Service.

It follows concerns over chronic understaffing issues and calls from many in the industry for better pay and conditions.

The government will spend $4.5bn towards adding new doctors, nurses, paramedics and other health staff between now and 2026.

Health workers in NSW will receive a one-off $3000 payment as thanks for their tireless efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

“Today we’re announcing the biggest boost to our health workforce in our state’s history and the largest in the country,” Mr Perrottet said.

The NSW Health Services Union welcomed the influx of staff and said it was the result of ongoing “pressure” it had placed on the government.

“We’ve been fighting nonstop for two years: fighting an international pandemic; fighting for recognition; fighting for what we’re worth,” the organisation posted on Facebook.

“Significant staffing increases will be welcomed by tired HSU members, but we’re not taking the pressure off. We need real pay rises from this government.”

The NSW Premier made the announcment on Monday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dean Martin

NSW Treasurer Matt Kean said the increase in wages was sustainable and would help attract and retain the best talent to the public sector.

“In the context of a strong and growing economy this two-year increase to wages is an affordable and sensible policy,” he said.

Mr Perrottet said the improvement of services would also benefit those in regional and rural areas.

“It would be easy to not continue to invest, but that is not the right approach for the times. A strong public service is essential to delivering what matters to make daily life better,” he said.

“Our sound economic management allows us to invest in our people through higher wages and more frontline workers and continue to deliver the best services in the country and a brighter economic future for the people of NSW.”

Originally published as $3000 cash bonus to one group of workers for efforts during Covid-19 pandemic