The Commonwealth will improve its pay offer for APS employees by bringing forward the date of the Year 1 pay increase from 14 March 2024 to 21 December 2023. Due to the expected timing of ballots this will be provided as a one-off payment. This improvement is the Commonwealth’s final offer to conclude APS-wide bargaining.
Bringing forward the date of the first pay increase, delivers an additional 12 weeks of the first 4 per cent pay rise.
Employees can get this additional benefit if their agency’s enterprise agreement is finalised and given to them for consideration by 14 March 2024, and then receives a successful vote.
The one-off payment is a practical way to deliver the earlier effective date of 21 December 2023. All agencies commencing a ballot by 14 March and with a successful yes vote will also see their base salary increase by 4 per cent from 14 March 2024.
If employees have not been provided with a copy of their agreement for consideration (known as the access period) by 14 March 2024 or a ballot is unsuccessful, the 4 per cent pay increase will not apply until the new agreement commences after approval by the Fair Work Commission.
The years 2 and 3 pay offer remain as:
- 3.8 percent from March 2025
- 3.4 per cent from March 2026
- As part of the reduction in fragmentation in pay, nearly 8,000 employees in over 80 agencies will receive an additional payment that moves towards greater commonality of pay scales across the APS.
Pay is one aspect of the APS bargaining package of pay and conditions. In addition to the improved pay offer, employees can expect enhancements to flexible working arrangements, parental leave increasing to 18 weeks for both parents by the end of the agreement, the use of personal/carers leave and cultural leave.
Agency-level bargaining will continue, with many agencies close to concluding.
Timelines for when employees will vote will be managed by each agency. It is possible some agencies will organise employee votes before the end of 2023.
Quotes attributable to APS Bargaining Chief Negotiator Peter Riordan:
“By bringing forward the year 1 pay increase by 12 weeks, employees now have the opportunity to get an additional payment in their pockets after a successful vote on an agency’s enterprise agreement.”
“On top of the improved pay offer, we’ve achieved agreement on over 50 common conditions for APS employees, including enhancements to flexible working arrangements and parental leave. This represents a great outcome for employees.”
“The contributions from all bargaining parties to respectfully engage in good faith has resulted in significant enhancements for APS employees, and paves the way for improvements into the future.”
“This offer represents the Commonwealth’s third and final improvement to pay. This will conclude the APS-wide bargaining process, and APS employees can now directly have their say on this work when it’s time to vote on their agency’s enterprise agreement.”