Public servants reject four year wage freeze, $1000 annual ‘bonus’ offer from Commissioner for Public Employment

NT public servants have overwhelmingly rejected a pay and conditions offer from the Commissioner for Public Employment.

TERRITORY public servants have overwhelmingly rejected a pay and conditions offer from the Commissioner for Public Employment that would see their wages frozen for four years.

In a letter to commissioner Vicki Telfer, Community and Public Sector Union secretary Kay Densley said 98 per cent of surveyed members had voted to reject the government’s terms.

“While the offer introduces some progressive improvements and extends some leave entitlements, these improvements do not overcome the real and significant concerns of our members,” she wrote.

“The wage freeze, despite a taxable $1000 annual ‘bonus’ which is non-cumulative and funded from existing agency budgets and the offer of a four-year agreement are show stoppers, particularly in the light of escalating costs of living in the Territory.

“With the Darwin CPI at 6.1 per cent this June and rental increases at over 21 per cent in the last six months, some of our lower paid members report they are already struggling to meet their basic life requirements and the offer being made will only exacerbate this situation.”

Community and Public Sector Union NT secretary Kay Densley. Picture: Justin Kennedy

Ms Densley highlighted a lack of a commitment to no outsourcing or redundancies and a “refusal to include pandemic leave provisions” as outstanding issues.

She was joined by United Workers Union secretary Erina Early who also wrote to Ms Telfer saying despite some “progressive” improvements, “the overall offer does not meet the needs and expectations of our membership”.

“These needs and expectations of our membership focus around the disappointing and unrealistic wage freeze for four years and the offer of (a) $1000 annual bonus,” she wrote.

“Our members are some of the lowest paid covered under this agreement and a wage freeze will significantly impact them which will lead to financial disadvantage and may place our members at greater risk of not being able to meet their economics needs to remain in the Northern Territory.”

In response to an inquiry about the standoff a Territory government spokeswoman issued a three word statement: “Negotiations are continuing.”

A spokeswoman for Public Employment Minster Paul Kirby referred questions back to Ms Telfer’s office.