State deal brings back pay
Public servants in New South Wales are set to receive salary increases and back pay before the end of 2024.
A pay bump is on the way after the approval of the latest Salaries Award by the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) earlier this week.
This development ensures the implementation of the Public Service Association's (PSA) agreed 11.4 per cent pay rise spread over three years.
Stewart Little, General Secretary of the PSA, says that government agencies were informed of the updated salary rates when members voted on the offer.
The PSA confirmed that “once the Awards are made, they would be able to pay the increases quickly”.
It said the government is committed to processing the payments within the current year.
The adjustment includes back pay retroactive to 1 July 2024, reflecting the delayed implementation period.
To streamline the process, the government plans to issue back pay and leave loading - due in December - through separate pay runs where feasible.
Concerns about payroll outsourcing to GovConnect have prompted the PSA to seek clarity. While the arrangement is not expected to disrupt payments, the PSA says it is committed to revisiting the issue in discussions with the government in the new year.
This wage update arrives amidst broader industrial tensions, with transport and health sector unions escalating demands after a 39 per cent salary increase was secured by the NSW Police Association for specific roles.