New State pay-fixing approach deferred

Press, 30 November 1987, Page 2

New State pay-fixing approach deferred

PA Wellington The State pay round will need to be resolved by interim arrangements to allow time for the department - by - department approach being adopted by the Public Service Association, says the State Services Commission. Mr Doug Martin, the assistant commissioner of the commission’s industrial relations section, said yesterday the commission was involved in ‘•delicate" negotiations with the P.S.A., and he could not give many details. However, it was intended that the depart-ment-by-department approach advocated by the P.S.A. would be substantially negotiated only in next year’s State pay round.

That round would not involve the public servants* traditional annual general adjustment (A.G.A.). However, some form of agreement like the A-G.A. would probably still ensue from this year’s wage round, while elements of the department-by-depart-ment approach would also be implemented to tackle particular staffing retention and pay problems. Mr Martin said departments with recognised problems like Inland Revenue would need attention in the present round, and special efforts were also likely to tackle the problems affecting occupational classes like accountants and typists.

Because staff retention and pay problems in these areas were commonly recognised, there was a

need to reach agreements to Improve pay and conditions as quickly as possible.

If agreements were reached, they could later be incorporated into next year's round. The pay needs of most public servants this year would require some sort of agreement, like a general Increase.

He could not predict the likely size of any increase, but he did not rule out a decision "this side of Christmas.” “But there are no guarantees, either,” he said. “Ultimately Ministers decide these matters.”

The focus of discussions with the P.S.A. was to reach agreement on a transitional formula to enable the current round to be settled on an interim

basis and also to allow a structure to be established for next year’s new approach.

“If the current round is viewed as being of a transitional nature, and if it is accepted that there will be enterprise bargaining next year, we need to arrive at a way of getting from here to there,” he said..

“We will have some significant negotiations this year. There are some' acknowledged problems in the State area that have to be addressed now.”

Mr Martin was noncommittal when asked if this year’s general adjustment would be backdated to November 10, expiry date of previous determinations.