PSA Public Sector Salaries Case

Executive, March 31

Report adopted

The PSA has commenced a campaign for a new Salaries Award for members which seeks increases in salaries and allowances of 6.5% per annum over a three year term.

The campaign is in response to the NSW Government's Public Sector Wages Policy issued in September 2007.

The policy clearly articulates the Government's position on future pay increases for Public Sector workers. It states that "future increases to employee related expenses will be limited to a net cost of 2.5 percent per annum." Any increases of more than 2.5 percent must be funded through employee related cost savings and reforms. These are to include changes to award/agreement provisions and legislation and savings achieved through staffing levels, rostering arrangements, human resource polices workforce composition etc. Any such savings must be in addition to those already identified under the efficiency dividend currently imposed on Departments and Agencies every year". That means, under the Government's policy, any restructure and downsizing of the workforce that has occurred in the past few years cannot be counted towards "savings" made to achieve a pay increase for staff.

Some of the proposals which the Government has put to the PSA for an extra 0.5% include:

• reduction in accrual of sick leave;
• requirement of medical certificate when more than 2 consecutive days are taken as sick leave or more than 5 days in any year;
• where an employee takes LWOP for more than 1 year, then their position could be backfilled on a permanent basis;
• if employees have 8 weeks Rec leave accrued then flex leave would not be available;
• removal of the provision for meal allowances on over day journeys;
• Departments' to determine whether it books and pays for accommodation or pays sustenance;
• restrict special leave for trade union activities to maximum 5 days per year;
• replacing job evaluation committees with 1 person who would carry out all the job evaluation for the Department.

The PSA has strongly opposed these proposals and has refused to discuss these and any other proposals which aim to cut award entitlements.

The PSA's Award claim is based on improvements in productivity, efficiency and general performance in Departments and Agencies that have been achieved by the contribution of employees since the last award was made.

The Crown Employees (Public Sector - Salaries 2007) Award expires on 30 June 2008 and the Association has notified the Industrial Relations Commission of its intention to mount a major industrial case. Two conferences have so far been convened by the IRC.

The PSA has also met with employer parties discuss the sample and programming of evidence.

The case is scheduled to be heard in the Industrial Relations Commission in September and October this year. Preparation of the evidence is well underway.