Public servants get pay rises after long-running EBA dispute
The Andrews Government is set to give pay rises to up to 50,000 public servants, along with a new “mobility payment” and increased allowances, as Victorians across the state battle unemployment, wage cuts and reduced hours due to the economic impact of the coronavirus.
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The Victorian Government will increase the pay of up to 50,000 public servants, ending a long-running enterprise bargaining dispute.
The in-principle agreement includes an overall 2 per cent per annum pay rise, as well as 16 weeks parental leave for both primary and secondary carers.
But the Community and Public Sector Union has also secured a “mobility allowance” for each worker to cater for changing government priorities on key issues.
The annual lump sum will range from $757 to $2,815 dependent on salary and will increase by 2 per cent year on year.
It comes as Victorians across the state battle unemployment, static income levels, wage cuts and reduced hours because of the economic impact of the coronavirus.
Government workers had been fighting for a 3.5 per cent increase, as well as more annual leave and superannuation.
“Our dedicated public servants are working around the clock to protect Victorians from the coronavirus crisis – they have never worked so hard, and never have they been so critical,” a Victorian Government spokesman said.
“This agreement complies with the Government’s wages policy, and ensures a fair deal for workers.”
Community and Public Sector Union state secretary Karen Batt said the payrises would be backdated to March 20 this year.
“A new four-year deal will include annual pay increases, a new mobility payment, increased overtime rates and night shift allowances, more parental leave, and historic new provisions to close the gender pay gap in the Victorian public service,” she said.
“There will be an increase in the nightshift allowance from 15 per cent to 20 per cent, starting 1 July 2020.”
The mobility payment is part of a push for state government staff to be redeployed to areas where surge capacity is needed, such as bushfires or coronavirus contact tracing, rather than making them redundant and rehiring.
Senior public servants in Victoria also became eligible for a massive pay increase from July 1.
It included a handful of executives in departments and state agencies who faced the prospect of $48,000 pay rises after their salary bands were by the state’s remuneration tribunal.
Those executives, who have a salary range of between $312,274 and $457,081, have a new salary range of between $360,001 and $479,900.
Daniel Andrews and his ministers, who have also recently been awarded hefty pay increases, each donated their pay rises to charity this year.
Institute of Public Affairs director of research Daniel Wild said the deal would further erode trust in the Victorian public service.
“This is further evidence that there are two Australias: public servants who have been protected from the destruction of the COVID-19 lockdown measures, and those in the productive, private sectors of the economy who have lost their jobs and businesses,” Mr Wild said.
“We are not all in this together, and we never have been. Public servants have profited from the crisis, while small business owners and young Australians have been smashed.”
Mr Wild said research commissioned by the IPA had found that 74 per cent of Australians supported a 20 per cent pay cut for politicians and senior public servants who earned $150,000 or more.
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