Thousands of Transport for NSW workers sign demand for 4 per cent pay rise - Public Service Association

Thousands of Transport for NSW workers sign demand for 4 per cent pay rise

Over the past week, the PSA has been asking its members to sign a digital petition to demand an immediate 4 per cent pay rise this year. We thank all those who have engaged with us, whether by signing the petition or by chatting with us in person at your worksite. Thousands of Transport for NSW (TfNSW) workers have signed the demand, further reinforcing the acceptance of the wage offer PSA members overwhelmingly agreed to in a vote of members last week.

The PSA is focused on TfNSW members

A number of false claims have been distributed by others, in particular the Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU), which does not appear to be focused on the best interests of TfNSW members. This is unfortunate, as the PSA does not believe that the pay and conditions of TfNSW staff should be held hostage for Enterprise Bargaining in other areas, such as Sydney Trains.

The acceptance of a 4 per cent pay rise DOES NOT extinguish other claims on conditions such as the forfeiture of flex

Discussions and negotiations on conditions claims can continue.  If the Combined Transport Unions (CTU) and TfNSW cannot reach agreement on any conditions, or promises made by the Government such as Opal Cards, the unions will need to do what the PSA has been doing for over 125 years – campaign.

Arbitration on wages likely to lead to lower pay

While the PSA does not seek to second guess what the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) may decide on wages, we can get an indication from some current recommendations. On 16 October 2024, in relation to a separate Transport Award (the Roads and Maritime Services (Wages Award) 2019), the IRC made a recommendation that:

  1. the Transport Secretary agrees to an interim variation to the Wages Award to provide an immediate 3 per cent increase backdated to 1 July; and
  2. the unions give an undertaking that they will not take industrial action pending the outcome of those discussions and any subsequent arbitration.

The current offer is for a 4 per cent pay rise backdated to 1 July 2024, without the restriction on industrial action.

The current offer was made to all unions in the CTU at the same time. As we are driven by the best interests of our members, the PSA put the offer to our TfNSW members for them to vote on and notified the other unions as to our members ultimate acceptance of the offer.

Join the PSA today

The PSA will be holding a number of campaign events in order to progress your interests over the coming weeks. We will continue fighting for better pay and conditions for thousands of TfNSW employees – we will never hold your wages and conditions hostage to progress Enterprise Bargaining with Sydney Trains.

You can join the PSA HERE.

The offer

  • 4 per cent 2024-2025 increase in salaries plus 0.5 per cent superannuation, back dated to the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2024.
  • 3 per cent 2025-2026 increase in salaries plus 0.5 per cent superannuation
  • 3 per cent 2026-2027 increase in salaries

The offer includes a safeguard mechanism to protect wage earners if the Sydney Consumer Price Index exceeds 3.5 per cent (March quarter) in the second or third year of the deal. If this is the case, there will be negotiations for a one-off, non-cumulative, cost-of-living allowance (COLA).

If the Sydney Consumer Price Index exceeds 4 per cent (March quarter) in the second or third year, members will receive a $1,000 taxable, one-off, non-cumulative cost-of-living adjustment payment, plus superannuation.

As part of the offer, the PSA will negotiate changes to the Managing Excess Employees (MEE) policy to bring it into line with the new Workforce Mobility Placement (WMP) policy implemented late last year. This has seen great improvements in the retention of public servants affected by workplace change.

 

 

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