Huge pay hike for NSW public sector workers coming today
- Corrections officers and school staff will get a four percent pay raise
- The NSW Government and the Public Services Association signed an agreement
- Eligible employees will also get a 0.5 pension increase
- The changes are intended to address recruitment and retention.
More than 80,000 NSW public sector workers are hoping for an immediate four per cent pay increase after a landmark decision by the state wage arbitrator.
Professions covered by the pay increase include prison officers, park rangers, school support staff, child protection workers, Rural Fire Service employees, State Emergency Service staff and NSW Service workers.
It comes after the state wage arbitrator signed the government’s agreement with the Public Service Association for the wage increase and a 0.5 percent increase in retirement.
Public sector wages had been capped at 2.5 percent under the previous coalition government.
It is the first major award to have been finalized since Labor came to power in March promising pay rises.
More than 80,000 public sector workers in NSW to get a four per cent increase in wages (pictured, a file image)
Eligible employees, including those of the NSW Rural Fire Service (pictured), will get a 0.5 per cent increase in pension.
“This is the biggest public sector wage increase since 2003-04 and comes after years of campaigning and lobbying,” the Public Services Association said on Friday.
The union said its latest member survey found 80 percent of those polled agreed to accept the raise.
Negotiations with the unions of nurses, teachers and other public servants are ongoing.
The public sector union previously campaigned for a pay increase of at least 5.2 percent for all public sector workers, with any increase in pension being paid on top.
Industrial Relations Minister Sophie Cotsis said the pay increase would help address recruitment and retention in the public service.
“This is the largest public sector wage increase since 2003-04 and comes after years of campaigning and lobbying,” the Public Services Association said (pictured, a file photo).
Industrial Relations Minister Sophie Cotsis (pictured) said the pay rise would help tackle recruitment and retention in the public service.
“This will benefit the people who keep essential state services running, like schools, prisons and national parks,” he said in a statement.
‘NSW people deserve world class public services’.
The previous salary cap had been in place for 12 years and will be officially abolished on September 1.
Further privatizations will also be ruled out, while thousands of employees in insecure roles will be moved to permanent positions, particularly in state schools.
