Public servants accept latest pay offer.

Western Australian public servants have voted to accept the latest pay offer put to them by the Barnett Government. 

The Community and Public Sector Union/Civil Service Association's ballot of its members closed this afternoon with the majority of members who voted supporting the offer of 2.75%, 2.5% and 2.5% pay increases over the next three years.

It will apply to up to 40,000 public servants working in agencies such as Child Protection and Family Support, Corrective Services, Disability Services Commission, Transport and Housing.

Acting branch secretary Rikki Hendon said the approved offer was better than the original one from government (2.5% for each of the three years) but said it would not set the agenda for the next round of pay talks.

“Our members have received the same offer as police and firefighters and have fought hard to have the removal of job security provisions taken out of the deal.”

Given the circumstances Ms Hendon said it was a good achievement but said the Barnett Government’s new restrictive wages policy was forced on public servants.

“They chose to manipulate the public economic discussion in order to disadvantage public sector employees.

“The fact is wages are falling as a percentage of government expenditure and are not putting extra pressure on the budget.

“Thousands of public servants are struggling to meet rising living costs and are working in agencies that have suffered major budget cutbacks to resources.”

Ms Hendon said they would not be accepting a similar offer next time around.

“WA needs a government that invests in public services and negotiates fairly with the workers that support and deliver them.

“We will continue to challenge the way Government views the public service, its responsibility to the community and the way it values its employees.”

​