Tens of thousands of United Workers Union members who work in the Public Sector won a wage deal from the Queensland Labor Government that gave them some assurance their wages would be protected if inflation continued at high levels.
In an agreement for United Workers Union members working as teacher aides, school cleaners, paramedics and in health, an innovative Cost-of-Living adjustment was included in the enterprise bargaining agreement pay offer. Under the deal, workers secured cost-of-living top-ups if inflation went above the pay rises they won of 4 per cent, 4 per cent and 3 per cent across three years. The potential top-ups, of up to 3 per cent annually, apply across all three years and give workers some comfort the worst effects of inflation will be addressed over the life of the agreement. In the first year, Queensland workers secured the maximum 3 per centage point top-up because inflation in Brisbane was extremely high. Now inflation has dropped, the pay rise in the second year of the agreement is above the reported inflation rate. It doesnÕt mean workers are not facing cost-of-living issues, but it does mean collectively workers were able to negotiate a deal that protected them when cost-of-living increases were extremely high.