Western Australia's public sector unions are preparing to step up their fight for greater pay rises at the state level in the wake of the Fair Work Commission's decision to increase the minimum wage by 5.2 per cent.
Under the state's public sector wages policy, announced late last year, workers were offered a 2.5 per cent pay rise per year, plus either an additional 0.25 per cent each year or a $1,000 sign-on bonus.
But unions say that is not enough, given annual inflation in WA hit 7.6 per cent in the March quarter.
Premier Mark McGowan has previously insisted his policy would keep wage growth, particularly for low-paid workers, in line with long-term expectations for inflation at around 4 per cent.
But with the national minimum wage today rising by 5.2 per cent to $21.38 an hour, Community and Public Sector Union secretary Rikki Hendon said the government was under increasing pressure to up its offer.
"It sets a bit of a bar that there is some acknowledgement generally of the cost of living and its impact on working people," Ms Hendon said.
"The public sector in Western Australia, we know in terms of wages growth, it's been the lowest growing in the whole nation.
"There's clearly a need to catch up in the WA public service space as well."
Wage fight creates headache for union-aligned MPs
Any tension with the unions could cause issues for the government.
Both Education Minister Sue Ellery and Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson are closely aligned to the influential United Workers Union.
Industrial Relations minister Bill Johnston was also a high-ranking union official before joining politics.
Ms Hendon's comments came after a meeting held opposite state parliament on Wednesday to try and bring union members together with the government.
"We've been at the bargaining table, each of the unions here, for a long time now and we're still waiting for an opportunity to get a decent deal on the table for all of our members," she told the crowd.
"That wages policy has been far outstripped by the current economic environment we're in."
Ms Hendon said unions were frustrated with the fact they were often negotiating deals with representatives who could not make decisions.
"What we have sought is real decision makers in the room to have this conversation with us."
Minister stands by 'fair' offer
Mr Johnston was the state government's only representative at the meeting, although it is understood others were invited.
Speaking after the meeting, he all but poured cold water on the union's hopes.
"We'll continue to look at different issues as they arise, but we believe that we've made a fair and reasonable offer," he said.
"The government's wages policy addresses the issues that we think are important.
"We'll continue to talk to unions about what goes into our agreements and we'll look forward to seeing what response the unions have to the negotiations that we're going through at the moment."
He particularly highlighted efforts to make more government workers permanent.
Teacher pay deal imminent
Mr Johnston said the next agreement to be signed off on was for teachers, with voting to close on Friday.
The State School Teachers Union had been hoping for a 4 per cent rise in the new agreement but is understood to have accepted 2.75 per cent instead.
"We're hopeful that teachers will support that agreement because that's not just about wages, it's about a range of other education issues," Mr Johnston said.
Last week NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced a three per cent pay rise for the state's public workers, as well as $3,000 payments to healthcare workers for their efforts during the pandemic.
WA's nursing union had called for the government to make a similar offer, but Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson yesterday would only say negotiations were ongoing.
She said while pay was an important issue, so too were issues like workloads and rostering.
Opposition calls for a re-think as WA swims in cash
WA's shadow treasurer Steve Thomas also called for the government to reassess its policy to ensure real wages did not go backwards.
"This [minimum wage] increase leaves the WA Premier looking more and more isolated in his wages policy, especially given the massive budget surpluses the government is getting, thanks mainly to high iron ore royalties," Mr Thomas said.
"The McGowan Government must justify its current wages position, including a reduction in real wages for many, to its own workers as it continues to amass a mountain of cash for its own political benefit."
