The main public sector union is preparing to fight for "more ambitious action" to address pay disparities between low-ranked bureaucrats, while pushing for a 15 per cent pay rise and changes to conditions across the Australian public service.
In its bargaining pay claim to be lodged with the Australian Public Service Commission on Thursday, the Community and Public Sector Union will highlight APS1 salary discrepancies of up to 38 per cent between agencies after years of negotiating separate deals.
"We will continue to fight for more ambitious action from the government to make pay fairer across the APS and allow experienced and skilled staff to more easily transfer between agencies," CPSU deputy secretary Rebecca Fawcett said.
"We want to see the government be a model employer with pay arrangements that attract and retain the best staff to deliver the high-quality public services Australians rely on."
The claim, endorsed by more than 18,000 members, seeks an APS-wide pay increase of 5 per cent a year, or the consumer price index - whichever is higher.
It demands that there be no qualifying period for higher duties allowance, a change the union argues is needed to ensure that staff who are acting up (performing at a higher level) are paid appropriately.
The claim also seeks a "top of the range payment" to provide financial recognition for employees at the top of their classification range; measures to attract and retain specialists and professionals, including clearer career pathways; and improved public sector superannuation.
The union argues that cushioning the impact of the cost-of-living impacts of inflation on public sector workers is part of the Albanese government's commitment to be a model employer. Finance and Public Service Minister Katy Gallagher has previously cast doubt on the likelihood of the government agreeing to 15 per cent over three years, saying "I don't think it is surprising that the government would not agree to the first claim put to us".
Ms Fawcett said the CPSU "wants to see fair and strong pay outcomes that reflect public sector workers' experience, skills, and dedication".
"Public sector workers are seeing the benefits of the outcomes on pay and conditions we achieved in the first round of bargaining, but there is still more work to do," she said.
An APS1 at the Australasian National Audit Office is paid a maximum of $69,624, while the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet pays an employee on the same classification $63,793 and the Department of Social Services pays $61,849.
The last APS-wide pay deal included increases for some of the lowest-paid APS1 employees, with Aboriginal Hostels Limited members receiving a boost of up to 15 per cent on top of the APS-wide 11.2 per cent pay rise and the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies getting an extra pay bump of 11 per cent.
APSC chief negotiator Alison Stott has been meeting twice a week with union representatives for 110 agencies that are part of the APS-wide bargaining process, including two non-APS agencies - the National Gallery of Australia and the Department of Parliamentary Services.
Last week, the CPSU presented claims on First Nations employment, cultural and ceremonial leave, NAIDOC leave, cultural awareness training, National Anti-Racism Framework and superannuation.
About 200,000 public servants are being represented by nine unions with more than 200 bargaining representatives, who have put forward hundreds of claims - to which the APSC has pledged to give "genuine consideration", while aiming to achieve more commonality across agencies after negotiating 59 common conditions in the last round of bargaining.
This article was first published in The Canberra Times on 20 August 2026.
