Your pay, your say survey
On 11 June, the PSA and other unions met senior officials from the Industrial Relations branch of NSW Treasury.
The meeting was to discuss:
- The status of the 2013 pay claim which remains in dispute (i.e. an increase of 0.23% for superannuation)
- The 2014 pay claim currently before the Industrial Relations Commission.
In 2011, the State Government passed legislation to limit wage increases to no more than 2.5% per annum.
The legislation allows for the wage rise to be less than 2.5% but not higher.
In 2012, the Federal Government legislated to lift superannuation payments by 3% over 6 years.
The State Government subsequently decided that any pay rise to public servants should be reduced by the amount of the super increase over the same period.
The PSA and other public sector unions successfully argued against this position in the Industrial Relations Commission during our 2013 pay case.
The Commission ruled that the full 2.5% should be paid to public servants.
However, the State Government would not accept the decision of the Commission and took its arguments to the Court of Appeal (The Supreme Court), where it won.
While the question of the 2013 pay rise was being fought out in the courts, the PSA secured an interim increase of 2.27% which has been paid.
The PSA together with other public sector unions have now sought leave to appeal to the High Court.
That is, we have to argue the merits of our case before the High Court in order for it to decide whether to formally hear the matter.
At the 11 June meeting with the Industrial Relations Branch of Treasury, the State Government’s representatives put forward an offer for the 2014 pay rise of 2.27% payable from the first pay period after 1 July 2014, with a restrictive no extra claims clause.
The State Government also offered to implement the legislation that provides the same increase in super payments to those employees in the defined benefits schemes.
However, this offer was made on the condition that the unions withdraw the High Court challenge.
The matter of the 2014 pay rise is set for conciliation (an attempt to reach an agreed position between the parties) before the President of the Industrial Relations Commission on 17 June 2014.
If no agreement is reached then the matter will be argued before the Commission on 21 June 2014.
While there are a range of factors to consider including the views of other public sector unions and the advice of our lawyers, the PSA is seeking our members’ views on two options via the survey link below.
The survey closes at 4pm on Monday 16 June.
We apologise for the short notice but this matter is moving quickly.
If you wish to participate in the survey click HERE.
