Public service chief execs’ pay up, workers denied

PSA Media Release
October 16, 2009
For Immediate Use

Public service chief execs’ pay goes up while workers denied pay rises

“It’s not fair for public service chief executives on six figure salaries who’ve received pay rises to be telling their staff, who are earning substantially less, that they can’t have a pay rise,” says PSA national secretary Richard Wagstaff.

The State Services Commission has released its 2009 annual report for the financial year ending June 30. The report shows that most public service chief executives received substantial pay rises in the year ending June 30. Their pay bands range from $240,000 to $249,999 to a top rate of $550,000 to $559,999.

“We accept that public service chief executives have difficult and demanding jobs but so do their staff,” says Richard Wagstaff.

“Chief executives are well rewarded for the work they do, their staff should also be fairly paid for providing public services the whole country relies on.”

“This is what we’ve been saying in pay negotiations with public service employers and this is what we will continue to say.”

“But currently pay systems and pay rates undermine any sense of fairness.”

“We’re well aware of the current situation with the economy and have continually said that we want to work with employers to find ways of working smarter and more efficiently.”

“Public service workers want to work in efficient well-run organisations.”

“The key to achieving this is for public service chief executives to listen to their staff and their union and work with them to find ways of eliminating waste and improving the delivery of services.”

“This is the way to lower costs and lift productivity rather than simply telling staff, who deserve a pay rise, that they can’t have one,” says Richard Wagstaff.

ENDS

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