First public sector pay offers tabled

The first public sector-wide pay offers have been put forward to primary teachers and primary principals through the NZEI, and also to E tū, PSA, the National Union of Public Employees and the union Taxpro, which represents Inland Revenue staff.

However, the public sector pay restraint, which has also been described as a pay freeze for some workers, remains, with the Government pledging it will still be reviewed before the end of the year.

The public service has been battling with high turnover, while the Public Service Commission has been negotiating about 150 individual settlements within the public sector pay adjustment that was proposed by the Council of Trade Unions.

Public Service Minister Chris Hipkins said the first offers started with the five unions that were the furthest advanced. ‘‘Bargaining across the public sector was already occurring,’’ he said.

‘‘If successful, this process will provide negotiated settlements that are fair, equitable, affordable, and align with the Government’s goal of increasing the salaries of those on the lowest wages. The pay adjustments will support a range of public servants, including those working in schools, hospitals and prisons, the Police and Defence Force.’’

He said the secretary for education has made the offer to NZEI for primary teachers and primary principals, and the Public Service chief executives have made the offer to E tū, PSA, NUPE, Taxpro, and NZEI.

National’s public service spokesperson, Simeon Brown, said the Government should be ‘‘up front and clear as to what negotiations they have come to with unions around the public sector pay agreement. This is something which will be of significance to taxpayers’’.

A letter last month from the Public Service Commission outlined that an initial offer had been made to ‘‘some’’ education and public service unions. The letter was dated as guidance .

Negotiations officially began in October, after the Public Service Association (PSA) told members an agreement had been reached to start negotiations proper for a cost of living pay increase across the public service and Crown agents. It came after a proposal from unions of a whole public service pay rise to deal with cost of living pressures.