CPSU national secretary Rebecca Fawcett has written to the APSC to formally reject the government’s 9 per cent pay offer. Photo: CPSU.
The main union representing Commonwealth public servants has officially rejected the Federal Government’s 9 per cent pay rise offer, setting the scene for further negotiations in the APS-wide bargaining process.
The Community and Public Sector Union has urged the government to get back to the negotiating table as soon as possible and make a better offer.
Last month, the Australian Public Service Commission tabled a pay increase proposal of 9 per cent over three years, which comprises a 3.2 per cent rise from next March, then 3 per cent from March 2028, and 2.8 per cent in March 2029.
The package also included further measures to support greater consistency in pay across the APS.
Some workers in agencies with lower pay grades would get further salary increases up to 0.5 per cent each of the three years (or a total of up to 1.5 per cent) to help close the pay gap between departments.
A new minimum pay point increase of 3 per cent was included for eligible employees progressing through their salary range where their existing advancement increase is lower than 3 per cent.
The CPSU took the offer directly to its membership.
More than 20,000 members participated in a snap poll the union conducted over the offer, with almost 90 per cent of participants rejecting it.
CPSU national secretary Rebecca Fawcett said the poll’s result clearly lets the APSC know their offer isn’t good enough.
“CPSU members have delivered a clear message to the Commonwealth – we reject your pay offer,” she said on Monday 2 November.
“Trained and trusted public sector employees go above and beyond to deliver vital government services that keep Australian communities supported, safe and secure.
“It’s only fair they get a pay offer that keeps up with the cost of living.
“CPSU members are on the frontline at Services Australia, defending our borders in Home Affairs and supporting the community through the NDIS.
“The government should support them, not propose a pay deal that will send them backwards.
“The government must tell the APSC to make a better offer. CPSU members and the Australian community are counting on it.”
Ms Fawcett has written to the APSC’s chief negotiator Alison Stott, to relay the union’s official response.
In the letter, the union secretary urges the Commonwealth to “get back to the table” and present public sector workers with a revised pay offer.
The rejections follows the release of the APSC’s latest employee census data that shows the level of satisfaction in the government’s workforce over pay has dived in 2025-26.
APS employees’ views on whether they are fairly remunerated dropped to 61 per cent in the 12-month period.
When tabling the APSC’s offer, Ms Stott noted that while the proposal builds on work from the previous bargaining round, negotiations would be ongoing.
“This proposal delivers guaranteed pay rises while also increasing consistency in pay between agencies and creating more consistent salary advancement across the APS,” Ms Stott said.
“For eligible employees, the additional salary uplifts and advancement changes mean increases above the headline pay rise.
“We’re building on the work of the previous bargaining round to increase commonality across APS agencies.
“This measure will uplift at least one classification in 92 per cent of agencies.
“This pay is part of an overall package of conditions. These are preliminary positions within this package, not agreed outcomes.
“Bargaining is continuing and we will keep working with unions and individual bargaining representatives in good faith.”
Last month, more than 15,000 CPSU members signed a pledge opposing the APSC’s proposals to cut conditions including flex time, annual leave, Christmas closedown and working hours.
The union is fiercely protective of APS workers’ conditions and has sent a clear signal to the Commonwealth to leave them untouched.
In August the CPSU lodged a 15 per cent pay rise claim for APS staff, citing the need to lift the wages of the service’s lowest-paid workers.
The Federal Government has previously indicated that a 15 per cent pay rise over three years is highly unlikely.
The CPSU’s negotiating team has highlighted significant ongoing pay disparities between agencies for lower-ranked employees.
At the APS1 level, there have been disparities in pay rates of up to 38 per cent for employees performing work at the same classification, which the union says is due to decades of agencies negotiating separate deals for their staff.
There have been some successes in closing these gaps.