RFS Award Consultation Update – Message from the PSA
Members will have seen the Message from the Commissioner regarding the RFS Award discussions.
The PSA would like to address the misrepresentation contained within the message, that the PSA suggested that a grandfathered ACA could be offset by the annual salary increase, therefore result in a lower wage increase than other NSW Public Sector employees. This statement shows that the Commissioner is either grossly misinformed, or misunderstands the NSW Public Sector Wages Policy.
In reality, the PSA advised the RFS that due to the legislated wages policy cap being 2.5 per cent, and due to NSW Public Sector employees being awarded a measly 0.3 per cent in 2020, there is 2.2 per cent of employee related costs that can be used to improve the wages and conditions of RFS employees (which can include grandfathered ACA) without exceeding the 2.5 per cent cap.
This is not a complicated line of thought. The RFS have either misunderstood this simple concept or chosen to ignore it in order to attack the PSA.
Unfortunately for the RFS, our members are not easily fooled.
PSA members agree that the Award as currently proposed needs changes. The RFS seem to be saying that because the Award proposed has elements that are unacceptable, everyone should give up, go home and do nothing.
The PSA will not give up on improving your Award. The RFS has spent 4 years delaying and obfuscating any changes to the Award, and this is simply their latest attempt to kick the can down the road.
Over the next few weeks we will also be providing a summary of feedback received from our survey, and outline the next steps in the fight to improve your working conditions.
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