Premier Roger Cook hints at long-awaited removal of blanket approach to public sector wages policy

Unions that have long railed against the WA Government’s blanket approach to public sector pay rises appear on the cusp of a breakthrough, with Premier Roger Cook saying he favoured “good in-faith bargaining”. A review of WA’s restrictive wages policy – a hallmark of the six years of the McGowan Government – is currently in its final stages with any changes expected to be announced by the end of the year. Currently, every public sector employee in WA – from frontline police and nurses to white-collar office workers – is offered the same salary terms during bargaining. For four years between 2017 and 2021 wage rises were capped at $1000, a move justified by former Premier Mark McGowan as required to repair the State’s budget. Following a string of budget surpluses, the offer was in 2022 upgraded to the higher of $3120 or 3 per cent – as well as a one-off $3000 cash bonus. With a raft of public sector EBAs up for renewal from the start of next year – and amid critical shortages of frontline staff – the Cook Government is busy mulling further changes. The WA Police Union annual conference on Monday was slated to debate a motion calling for first responders to be exempted from the Government’s wages policy. Asked whether that idea had merit – and whether a move away from a blanket approach to wages was on the cards – Mr Cook said he wanted to “make sure that people understand the importance of negotiation”. “We understand that each of the unions and their workers and their members are looking for particular outcomes that fit their particular needs,” the Premier said. The comments will invigorate WA’s union movement, which has long viewed removing the one-size-fits-all approach to bargaining as the key to winning bigger concessions on pay. As revealed by The West Australian, UnionsWA is pushing for government workers to be awarded a 7 per cent pay rise next year followed by 5 per cent in 2025. Both the Australian Nursing Federation – the only major union yet to reach an agreement with the Government under its current wages policy – and the WA Police Union are considering running candidates at the 2025 State election to shine a spotlight on salaries and conditions. Sweeping changes to the Legislative Council enacted by Labor mean just 2.6 per cent of the statewide vote is required to win an Upper House seat – potentially opening the door to a large and varied crossbench with significant power over the passage of legislation. Responding to the potential political threat posed by ANF and WAPU candidates, Mr Cook said “Everyone is welcome to run in the election”. “Look, there’s always tension - not only around wages but around conditions – between workers and their employer,” he added. “That impacts us in the same way and we will continue to make sure that we sit down with the unions and their members to negotiate in good faith outcomes which are just and outcomes which protect the interests of the WA taxpayers.”