Buried in Tuesday’s State budget papers was a nasty and unnecessary measure to reduce extended leave entitlements for new public sector employees. The measure would have saved nothing over the forward estimates and was merely an attack on the working conditions of our members.

We are very pleased to report, following some political lobbying by your union and particularly the PANSW and Unions NSW that last week the NSW Legislative Council refused to pass the amendment.

Extended leave is a vital entitlement for NSW public sector workers, and one of the few remaining attractive features the Government can use in the job market when recruiting. Axing it in this manner was not only pointless as a budget saving, but would have produced a grossly unfair outcome with new and current members working alongside each other in the same job but enjoying different entitlements, undermining equal pay principles.

The Association would like to thank all members of the Legislative Council from numerous parties that recognised the value of a strong public sector by rejecting the Bill.