The PSA strongly rejects moves to fund pay rises for public service workers through further cuts to public services and jobs, as signalled in the Government’s Workforce Policy Statement (GWPS).

The Minister for Public Services Nicola Willis today released the new GWPS, which outlines the Government’s expectations of employment relations in the public sector. It also covers workforce matters including remuneration and negotiation of employment agreements. Any changes to PSA Collective Agreements will need to be bargained with the PSA and ratified by members.

After indiscriminately slashing public service budgets resulting in cutting over 6,000 roles across the public service, and signalling further funding cuts to follow, Nicola Willis is instructing agencies to meet future pay increases from existing baselines, said Kerry Davies National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.

"The use only of an already severely cut baseline for pay increases does not recognise the cost of living increases facing our members. Pay increases should not be funded from job losses," said Davies

The GWPS also seeks to direct agencies not to backdate changes to pay and working conditions negotiated through bargaining.

"This is not only cruel, it’s also unrealistic and unworkable especially given that it is often departments themselves that are responsible for delays, Davies said.

"We’re also seeing a continuation of this Government’s attacks on te reo Māori, with the GWPS seeking to limit the use of allowances designed to promote the use of te reo within the public service.

"Public servants being able to competently and confidently communicate in te reo is part and parcel of ensuring public service workers understand the needs of Māori so they can do better at delivering to them," said Davies.

"The allowances are in collective employment agreements across the public sector. They recognise the importance of Te Reo as an official language and underscores the commitment of successive governments to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We need to be building skills.

The GWPS is also woefully inadequate on pay equity, barely mentioning it at all aside from telling agencies to "take steps to close unjustified pay gaps.", Davies said.

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