Unrest has been growing in the ranks of Australian public service workers as efforts regarding raise in the basic salary have yet to be decided. Despite the recent growth of wage rates for many public workers in Australia, the Australian Public Service Commission has yet to implement any raise in pay, which may result in the rise of bans and future strikes.
Recent notable events
Released on the afternoon of Monday, public service employer’s chief negotiator Peter Riordan stated that there are anticipations regarding discussions on pay, base salary, and the structure to address the fragmentation of pay and parental leave on the 29th of August. Recently, the commission has flagged a letter concerning “Pay and common conditions”, which will be released on the same date. This further indicates that secondary figures have been struck within the government towards efforts to get negotiations over the line.
Previously, the Australian government tried tackling the issue by working through rafts of condition and entitlement claims but is eager to display accelerated momentum. The CPSU has requested 20%, which the finance and public service minister Katy Gallagher has deemed impossible.
The APSC further admits that the process needs to catch up to its initial ambitious schedule. Nevertheless, there is still the continuation of work towards the negotiations in August.
Current issues to be discussed
The APSC further stated there are many rescheduled items that are being broadly supported and a final position that is currently subjected to minor changes
Issues close to resolution included:
- Integrity and transparency/scientific integrity
- Consultation
- Personal carer’s leave
- Flexible working arrangements
- Higher duties allowance
- Family and domestic violence
- Workloads
Despite efforts being made, there are still unresolved issues that require attention. These issues, highlighted by the APSC, encompass executive-level TOIL, casual and non-ongoing employment, job security, specialists, professional qualifications, parental leave, pay fragmentation, and the Commonwealth’s pay proposal. Collaborative negotiations involving the Chief Negotiator and employee representatives have been undertaken, aiming to devise a comprehensive APS-wide remuneration package and conditions for the benefit of all APS staff. However, the prospect of a resolution remains distant.
In conclusion, APSC needs to quickly strike a wage deal that will grab the attention and entice workers back into public service rather than drive them out. This can be done through the implementation of secure jobs, reasonable conditions, and flexibility of reasonable pay for admin staff. Compared to the pay disparity between public and private sector workers with technical skills experience pay gaps of as much as $100,000, which leads to shortage and reliance on contractors and consultants.