Yahoo Lifestyle $1,000 cost-of-living payment for thousands of Aussie workers
The NSW government offer will apply to more than 400,000 public sector workers in the state.
Thousands of NSW workers have been offered a $1,000 “cost-of-living protection payment”, alongside a 10.5 per cent pay rise over three years. But it still falls short of what some unions are asking for.
The NSW government is offering the deal to more than 400,000 public sector workers in the state. It would cover workers whose industrial agreements are set for renewal, including nurses, allied health workers, firefighters, prison guards, community case workers and Service NSW staff.
Workers would be given a 4 per cent pay rise in the first year, 3.5 per cent in the second and 3 per cent in the third year. The $1,000 cost-of-living payment would kick in if inflation exceeds 4.5 per cent in that year.
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Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said the offer delivers wages growth that would beat projected lifts in the cost of living over the next three years.
“This is about giving certainty for hard-working families across NSW, with a three-year offer to see pay and conditions improve,” Mookhey said.
“It creates a new, fair framework that can deliver a better outcome for everyone.”
The payment is not available to senior executives, whose salaries along with those of members of parliament remain frozen.
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The government’s offer falls well short of pay demands being made by some unions, including those representing firefighters and nurses.
The Fire Brigade Employees Union is asking for a 20 per cent pay rise for members over three years, while the Nurses and Midwives’ Association is seeking a 15 per cent pay rise in 2024.
The Wage Price Index rose 0.8 per cent in the March quarter and 4.1 per cent for the year, the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data found.
Private sector wages are growing faster than the public sector, with annual growth at 4.1 per cent compared to 3.8 per cent in the March quarter.
- With AAP
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