A pay offer that sets out inflation-linked cost-of-living payments the government's own forecasts show are unlikely to be paid is an "absolute shocker", the head of the public school staff union says.
The government on Monday unveiled a revised pay deal for public sector staff that included top-up payments beyond annual 3 per cent pay rises in 2027 and 2028 if Canberra's annual inflation rate hit at least 3.5 per cent.
While the latest figures show consumer prices in the territory rose 4.1 per cent in the year to May, the government forecasts inflation will ease and sit about 2.5 per cent a year over the forward estimates, meaning the the cost-of-living payments in the pay deal would not be triggered.
Australian Education Union ACT branch president Angela Burroughs said low-paid school assistants, the majority of the workforce in the territory's specialist schools, would be covered by the "cynical" deal.
"It's a Clayton's offer. It's an offer that doesn't actually come into effect until 2027 at the earliest. And they are projecting that won't need to come into effect in 2027. So, it's so cynical," Ms Burroughs told ABC radio on Monday.
Ms Burroughs said the government would know the cost-of-living payments should be made now but had chosen not to make them exist until 2027.
"A whole lot of our members are impacted by this, all the school assistants who perform crucial work, particularly in inclusive ed, supporting students with disability. They are the majority of the workforce in our specialist schools. So, that revised offer is significant for them. And I'd have to say it's a shocker. It's an absolute shocker," she said.
Community and Public Sector Union ACT regional secretary Maddy Northam said member action had delivered real results and forced the government to come back to the negotiating table with an improved offer.
"And now it's up to our members who will have their say on whether they accept these proposed changes or go back to the table to fight for better pay and conditions," Ms Northam said.
CPSU members will have until Monday to vote in a poll on whether the union should accept the revised pay deal or take further industrial action.
Public Service Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith on Tuesday said the ACT public service was already one of the country's best paid and bargaining talks had already delivered commitments to improved conditions.
"What we have heard both from unions and from a number of our employees is that they are keen for us to go to ballot with an offer, and that's why in making this third offer we have been very clear that this is an offer that we will take to ballot," Ms Stephen-Smith told a budget estimates hearing.
Ms Burroughs said there had been very productive discussions on the agreement for teaching staff, but there was still considerable work to do before the union and the government reached a deal.
Public school assistants are set to take further industrial action on August 3, including a ban on playground duty and attending meetings.
with Sarah Lansdown
