Coronavirus: Queensland public servants get pay rise as other workers do it tough

As others endure wage cuts, reduced hours, unpaid stand-downs or lose jobs, state public servants are set to receive pay rises.

Queensland Treasurer Jackie Trad. Picture: Annette Dew

Queensland’s 224,000 state public servants are set to receive pay rises totalling more than 3 per cent as others in the workforce endure static income levels, wage cuts, reduced hours, unpaid stand-downs or lose jobs because of the economic impact of the corona­virus.

Workers across the Queensland public sector are participating in an “all-staff” ballot that opened last week to approve a 2.5 per cent wage increase, plus a one-off cash payment of $1250.

The increases, detailed in a proposed enterprise agreement between Annastacia Palaszczuk’s government and Together Queensland, the union representing state public servants, comes as some highly-paid business executives and sporting stars accept pay cuts of 20 to 50 per cent, forced on them by the COVID-triggered economic downturn.

The Liberal National Party opposition and the state’s small business group are highly critical of increases for public servants whose employment appears guaranteed by the state government while private sector jobs remain in jeopardy, or reliant on the Morrison government’s $1500-a-fortnight wage subsidy.

Together Queensland Secretary Alex Scott. Picture: Sarah Marshall

Alex Scott, general secretary of Together Queensland, a branch of the Australian Services Union, dismissed any suggestion state public servants’ pay rises should be postponed or cancelled, and said he did not expect the deal to be called off. “Not at this stage,” he said.

The union chief said while Queensland public servants were still working, many from home, with no stand-downs or layoffs, they were “not immune” from the coronavirus crisis because they were married to or had relationships with people in the private sector experiencing financial difficulty after cuts to working hours or losing their jobs.

“Our members are doing it tough financially,” Mr Scott said. “The commonwealth is looking at pump-priming the economy because everyone is struggling, and the public sector is more reliant on wage rises than they normally would be.”

Mr Scott said it was not certain yet that all public servants would receive pay increases under the deal, and more discussions were needed with Queensland Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace and Treasurer Jackie Trad before he could be confident.

Queensland Minister for Education and Industrial Relations, Grace Grace. Picture: AAP

While the Queensland government was “talking up” the 2.5 per cent rise and $1250 cash bonus, Mr Scott said many of the state’s 224,000 public servants stood to receive little or nothing, pending further discussions, because the pay they received under the minimum award rate was higher than the proposed enterprise agreement with pay rises added.

The wage deal for Queensland public servants, based on union-government negotiations that started last year, also provides further 2.5 per cent increases over a four-year period, totalling 10 per cent by 2022.

A spokesman for Ms Grace said no state public servants were expected to lose their jobs because of the pandemic, but there were still “ongoing discussions” about pay rises negotiated for public servants. “I don’t think anything is set in stone,” he said.

The union provided a copy of its “core agreement” in an online circular in February that urged a “yes” vote. Also included was a letter from Ms Grace on the $1250 bonus, which was to be paid on March 25 ahead of the vote result, and before the deal’s formal certification by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission.

The government is the state’s largest employer, with 223,704 full-time positions and more than 500 corporate and media adviser positions, according to figures released last year. With employee costs accounting for 42 per cent of state government spending, the 2019-20 budget said public sector wages were expected to total $25.4bn in 2020, a 5.4 per cent increase on the previous 12 months.