Always room for more at Mackay Regional Council

The Services Union welcomes Mackay Regional Council’s decision to deliver a $500 cost of living payment before Christmas. The $500 will also be added to your base salary before next year’s 2.5% Determination increase is applied. This means your pay will get a modest bump on 1 July, which is better than nothing but well under the sort of wage increases rolling out now.

For example Brisbane City Council just increased pay by $2000 plus 4% to deal with serious recruitment problems among other things. In our view the Council needs to do more.

The Services Union had to enlist the Full Bench of the QIRC to move the Council from 2.1% per annum and a review of the submissions which our Union made in that matter confirms that the approach which you supported has been absolutely vindicated.

The Council advised us of this arrangement at yesterday’s Joint Consultative Committee along with its decision to increase the Leading Hand Allowance by 50%. If nothing else, it at least shows that the Council shares our view that increasing local spending power in the community is a good place to start.

We don’t know conclusively what the economy will look like next year. But we know from experience that the best way for you and your colleagues to improve your take-home pay is by increasing your bargaining power through building a strong union in your workplace. Our Union will recommence negotiations at the end of 2023, and it’s never too early to start the conversation with your colleagues about what you want to achieve in terms of pay and conditions. Anyone who’s keen for the best outcome and is not yet a member can join easily online.