Newman Government gives public servants a pay rise

About 48,000 Queensland public servants covered by the Core enterprise bargaining agreement will get a pay rise of 2.2 per cent a year for three years, Premier Campbell Newman announced today.

The Premier said the Government was using a section of the Public Service Act to give Core public servants a pay rise now, rather than having to wait up to another year for the arbitration process to be finalised.

“The Queensland Government has been trying persistently since mid-2012 to give the core public service a pay rise, but our efforts have been stymied at every turn by the Together Union,” he said.

“In the past 12 months, there have been nine agreements reached covering more than 15,000 employees that have provided wage increases of 2.2 per cent. Despite being party to eight of those agreements, Together Union refused to negotiate the same outcome for the Core public service.

“Enough is enough. The Government believes hard working public servants are entitled to a fair and reasonable pay rise, and now they have it.

“This is not an interim wage increase. It provides certainty about wage increases for the next three years.

“My Government is committed to delivering fair wages in return for fair outcomes. We believe it is possible to properly reward staff, while also delivering better services and value for money for Queensland taxpayers.”

Two recent decisions handed down by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission after arbitration include the Queensland Ambulance Service, and yesterday’s decision for the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service.

Both have now received a 2.2 per cent wage increase. These decisions provide a clear direction about how the QIRC is likely to determine wages arbitrations, including the core.

The first wage increase will be paid to Core public servants by early February 2014, but will take effect from 1 December 2013, meaning the rise will also apply to 2013 leave loading payments.

Minister Assisting the Premier on the public service Glen Elmes said the Newman Government decided to act following a recent decision by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission to grant ambulance officers a 2.2 per cent pay rise.

“If it weren’t for the Together Union’s stubbornness, the 48,000 Core public servants would have had the same pay rise their colleagues had months ago,” Mr Elmes said.

“Two thirds of public servants covered by the Core EB agreement aren’t members of Together, but they have been denied a say in offers made by the Government.

“Alex Scott and his union hierarchy convinced a minority of Core public servants who are union members to block the rise offered by the Government before Christmas last year.

“Together Union then decided to pursue an interim wage increase through the courts, which just delayed arbitration on a new EB agreement. The union’s antics meant a pay rise for Core public servants was unlikely before late 2014.

“We’ve finally had enough of Together’s games, and will now bypass the union to ensure Core public servants get a pay rise before Christmas this year.

“This decision doesn’t negate the arbitration process currently underway, but it gives public servants a pay rise for which they would otherwise have had to wait until late next year.”

[ENDS] 10 December 2013

Media Contact: Premier’s office 3719 7000, Minister’s office 3719 7170