The Community and Public Sector Union has welcomed the news that one group of the ACT Government's lowest-paid staff will receive wage increases of more than 10% per year over the next three years but said Chief Minister Andrew Barr's job is far from done with thousands of workers including low paid workers being left behind.
All workers in the ACT Government have wages that aren't keeping up with their electricity bills, with their rent and mortgage increases, or their weekly grocery bills.
All ACT Government workers need and deserve a pay rise - we can't have a situation that addresses some low paid workers and leaves others behind. The CPSU calls on the Barr Government to work with the Union to ensure that all ACT Government workers receive fair pay rise that recognises their hard work and commitment to the Canberra community.
The CPSU hopes that the Chief Minister can quickly confirm that this pay rise also applies all of the lowest paid workers such as school assistants, wards people, administration clerks, security workers, Healthcare and community service workers. These low-paid public servants show up for our community every day and did the hard yards protecting Canberra during covid.
The work the ACT Public Servants do is often difficult and dangerous work. This work must be recognised by Andrew Barr immediately.
Quotes attributable to Brenton Higgins, CPSU Acting ACT Regional Secretary:
"This pay rise is great news for those who will be receiving it, but all workers here in Canberra need and deserve a pay rise.
"All ACT Government workers got Canberra through a tough few years. They are all feeling the pain from the rising cost of living. To only give a small portion of those workers a pay rise is completely unreasonable - we can't have a situation that addresses some low paid workers and leaves others behind.
"The Chief Minister has moved on decent pay increases for some low-paid public sector workers, but it is vital that he now delivers for the rest of the public service in line with his public commitment to offer pay rises that at least match CPI.
"If Andrew Barr isn't prepared to honour that commitment, then the CPSU has a hard choice to make, which will likely include industrial action.
"If he thinks his job is done when it comes to pay, he is sorely mistaken."
