PUBLIC SECTOR WAGES
POLICY
694. Ms C.M. COLLINS to the Minister for Industrial
Relations:
I refer to the state government's
responsible and fair wages policy that will deliver a $3 000 cost-of-living
payment and bigger pay rises for our lowest paid workers. Can the minister
update the house on the agreements that have been reached so far under the
state government's wages policy and outline what this will mean to
those workers?
Mr W.J.
JOHNSTON replied:
Thank you very much, member.
On
20 September this year, the McGowan government announced a revised wages policy
in light of the prevailing cost-of-living
pressures. Public sector employees earning below $104 000 per annum can now
receive a $60 a week increase, and those who earn above that will get a three per
cent per annum increase. Aside from wage increases, there is also a $3 000
one-off cost-of-living payment, which was increased from the original $2 500,
and will be paid pro rata for casual and part-time employees. This policy also
allows conditions to be negotiated to support the government's
priorities and they can be funded through existing arrangements. The policy has
now been widely accepted, with over half of public sector employees already
covered by agreements. We have agreement with 28 700 teachers and principals, 22 700 health professionals, over 12 000 education
assistants, just under 6 000 doctors, almost 5 000 cleaners and gardeners,
nearly 5 000 hospital support workers, over 2 500 enrolled nurses, 2 500 TAFE
lecturers and several other occupational groups, totalling 85 000 employees who
will receive this extra cash injection.
The SPEAKER: Excuse me, minister.
In the gallery, you are not permitted to take photos of the chamber from there.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON: Union
ballots are quite interesting. The State School Teachers' Union of WA
had 70 per cent support, the Health Services Union had 80 per cent support
and the United Workers Union had between 97 and 98.7 per cent support depending
on the classification. It is clear that the government's policy is
working, and we will continue to negotiate with unions in good faith. I want to
particularly congratulate the Minister for Health and her department and the officials at the Department of Mines, Industry
Regulation and Safety who have been working through negotiations with
the nurses' union. I am very pleased to hear that the outlines of an
agreement will be put to members and that now there is a pathway forward. The
threat of industrial action disrupting our health system is no longer in front
of us. The workforce has a pathway for those 37 000 public sector nurses to
receive their wage rise in short order once all the paperwork, if you like,
with the union is complete. It just goes to show the enormous support that our wages policy has received. I look
forward to a couple of other unions that we are in deep negotiations
with also joining in the wave of support.