VIEW GERARD HAYES’ MESSAGE TO MEMBERS HERE

The NSW Government has officially made a pay offer to HSU members for the next three years.

The Government is offering members:

Year 1

• 3 per cent increase to salary and salary-related allowances
• 0.5 per cent increase to superannuation
• A further 0.5 per cent increase to salary and salary-related allowances for workers who haven’t received an increase in the past 12 months. The government has said this increase is contingent on agreement being reached ‘in a timely manner’ prior to the expiry of the current agreement

Year 2

• 3 per cent increase to salary and salary-related allowances
• 0.5 per cent increase to superannuation

Year 3

• 3 per cent increase to salary and salary-related allowances

In addition to these increases, the Government has said that if the Sydney Consumer Price Index rate exceeds 4.5 per cent in any year, workers will receive a $1000 “cost-of-living” payment. This payment would be subject to tax and pro-rated for employees who do not work full time.

You can read the correspondence here.

It’s important to note that this is not a final offer. This is only an initial offer and is the same as has been presented to other public sector unions. HSU members will have a chance to respond to this offer and to argue for specific increases and changes based on the specific circumstances of health workers.

It’s also important to note that different groups have different priorities to address. HSU members have made an enormous investment in developing claims for award reform for health workers. Allied Health members have pursued significant changes to their own awards, and it’s important that they be able to have their say on how their own award claims should proceed. The HSU response will raise these issues amongst others.

Separately to this offer, the HSU intends to pursue improved salary packaging arrangements so that members can move from the current 70% to 100%.

Members will have a chance to have their say on the HSU response to this offer over the coming weeks and months.