Majority of public sector will accept pay pause

A LARGE percentage of public sector workers will accept an almost year-long pay pause in a new national wage agreement as long as they are adequately compensated when the freeze ends.

A split is emerging in how public servants are reacting to a pay pause. What was proposed before the collapse of talks last month was an 11-month pay freeze for the public sector followed by two 2.5% increases. The Civil, Public and Services Union said in recent days 11 months was out of the question and it would be seeking flat-rate rather than percentage increases for lower-paid staff.

However, it appears the country’s largest public and services trade union, IMPACT, with 55,000 members, is unlikely to walk away from the talks if 11 months is proposed again. There are signals their members acknowledge the economic realities that face the country and that they must brace themselves for a lean year in 2009.