❓ A parliamentary question addresses an industrial dispute at Main Roads concerning engineers' pay, seeking information on pay discrepancies, proposals to improve recognition, and the possibility of a common award. The Minister acknowledges pay differences and ongoing exploration of options.
AnsweredQoN 541Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the current industrial dispute at Main Roads, which has seen professional engineers in the agency strike for the first time. I also refer to the comments of the deputy president of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission indicating that he will recommend a modest backdated salary increase along with a model for ongoing salary adjustments. (1) Is it a fact that the engineers are currently paid at least 20 per cent less than their professional colleagues doing similar work for private employers and less than other engineers within the minister’s own portfolio? (2) What proposals has Main Roads made to better recognise the work value of the engineers and hence attract the calibre of new staff that is needed to safeguard the public interest? (3) As a first step, would it be reasonable to support a common award for professional engineers within the state public service or at least for those engineers responsible for the administration of major public infrastructure such as roads, railways, water supply and energy generation? Hon KEN TRAVERS
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) There is a difference in the pay rates for engineers within the minister’s portfolio but it is considerably less than 20 per cent. There is anecdotal evidence that some private sector engineers are paid more. (2) Main Roads is currently exploring a number of industrial options within the Government’s current labour relations framework to address wages issues. (3) The current salaries relativity framework recognises the skills and competencies of all employees in the organisation. These relativities are directly integrated with the work arrangements required to deliver the road program. This is independent of award coverage of employees.
(1) Is it a fact that the engineers are currently paid at least 20 per cent less than their professional colleagues doing similar work for private employers and less than other engineers within the minister’s own portfolio? (2) What proposals has Main Roads made to better recognise the work value of the engineers and hence attract the calibre of new staff that is needed to safeguard the public interest? (3) As a first step, would it be reasonable to support a common award for professional engineers within the state public service or at least for those engineers responsible for the administration of major public infrastructure such as roads, railways, water supply and energy generation? Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) There is a difference in the pay rates for engineers within the minister’s portfolio but it is considerably less than 20 per cent. There is anecdotal evidence that some private sector engineers are paid more. (2) Main Roads is currently exploring a number of industrial options within the Government’s current labour relations framework to address wages issues. (3) The current salaries relativity framework recognises the skills and competencies of all employees in the organisation. These relativities are directly integrated with the work arrangements required to deliver the road program. This is independent of award coverage of employees.
(2) What proposals has Main Roads made to better recognise the work value of the engineers and hence attract the calibre of new staff that is needed to safeguard the public interest? (3) As a first step, would it be reasonable to support a common award for professional engineers within the state public service or at least for those engineers responsible for the administration of major public infrastructure such as roads, railways, water supply and energy generation? Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) There is a difference in the pay rates for engineers within the minister’s portfolio but it is considerably less than 20 per cent. There is anecdotal evidence that some private sector engineers are paid more. (2) Main Roads is currently exploring a number of industrial options within the Government’s current labour relations framework to address wages issues. (3) The current salaries relativity framework recognises the skills and competencies of all employees in the organisation. These relativities are directly integrated with the work arrangements required to deliver the road program. This is independent of award coverage of employees.
(3) As a first step, would it be reasonable to support a common award for professional engineers within the state public service or at least for those engineers responsible for the administration of major public infrastructure such as roads, railways, water supply and energy generation? Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) There is a difference in the pay rates for engineers within the minister’s portfolio but it is considerably less than 20 per cent. There is anecdotal evidence that some private sector engineers are paid more. (2) Main Roads is currently exploring a number of industrial options within the Government’s current labour relations framework to address wages issues. (3) The current salaries relativity framework recognises the skills and competencies of all employees in the organisation. These relativities are directly integrated with the work arrangements required to deliver the road program. This is independent of award coverage of employees.
Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) There is a difference in the pay rates for engineers within the minister’s portfolio but it is considerably less than 20 per cent. There is anecdotal evidence that some private sector engineers are paid more. (2) Main Roads is currently exploring a number of industrial options within the Government’s current labour relations framework to address wages issues. (3) The current salaries relativity framework recognises the skills and competencies of all employees in the organisation. These relativities are directly integrated with the work arrangements required to deliver the road program. This is independent of award coverage of employees.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) There is a difference in the pay rates for engineers within the minister’s portfolio but it is considerably less than 20 per cent. There is anecdotal evidence that some private sector engineers are paid more. (2) Main Roads is currently exploring a number of industrial options within the Government’s current labour relations framework to address wages issues. (3) The current salaries relativity framework recognises the skills and competencies of all employees in the organisation. These relativities are directly integrated with the work arrangements required to deliver the road program. This is independent of award coverage of employees.
(1) There is a difference in the pay rates for engineers within the minister’s portfolio but it is considerably less than 20 per cent. There is anecdotal evidence that some private sector engineers are paid more. (2) Main Roads is currently exploring a number of industrial options within the Government’s current labour relations framework to address wages issues. (3) The current salaries relativity framework recognises the skills and competencies of all employees in the organisation. These relativities are directly integrated with the work arrangements required to deliver the road program. This is independent of award coverage of employees.
(2) Main Roads is currently exploring a number of industrial options within the Government’s current labour relations framework to address wages issues. (3) The current salaries relativity framework recognises the skills and competencies of all employees in the organisation. These relativities are directly integrated with the work arrangements required to deliver the road program. This is independent of award coverage of employees.
(3) The current salaries relativity framework recognises the skills and competencies of all employees in the organisation. These relativities are directly integrated with the work arrangements required to deliver the road program. This is independent of award coverage of employees.
(1) Is it a fact that the engineers are currently paid at least 20 per cent less than their professional colleagues doing similar work for private employers and less than other engineers within the minister’s own portfolio? (2) What proposals has Main Roads made to better recognise the work value of the engineers and hence attract the calibre of new staff that is needed to safeguard the public interest? (3) As a first step, would it be reasonable to support a common award for professional engineers within the state public service or at least for those engineers responsible for the administration of major public infrastructure such as roads, railways, water supply and energy generation? Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) There is a difference in the pay rates for engineers within the minister’s portfolio but it is considerably less than 20 per cent. There is anecdotal evidence that some private sector engineers are paid more. (2) Main Roads is currently exploring a number of industrial options within the Government’s current labour relations framework to address wages issues. (3) The current salaries relativity framework recognises the skills and competencies of all employees in the organisation. These relativities are directly integrated with the work arrangements required to deliver the road program. This is independent of award coverage of employees.
(2) What proposals has Main Roads made to better recognise the work value of the engineers and hence attract the calibre of new staff that is needed to safeguard the public interest? (3) As a first step, would it be reasonable to support a common award for professional engineers within the state public service or at least for those engineers responsible for the administration of major public infrastructure such as roads, railways, water supply and energy generation? Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) There is a difference in the pay rates for engineers within the minister’s portfolio but it is considerably less than 20 per cent. There is anecdotal evidence that some private sector engineers are paid more. (2) Main Roads is currently exploring a number of industrial options within the Government’s current labour relations framework to address wages issues. (3) The current salaries relativity framework recognises the skills and competencies of all employees in the organisation. These relativities are directly integrated with the work arrangements required to deliver the road program. This is independent of award coverage of employees.
(3) As a first step, would it be reasonable to support a common award for professional engineers within the state public service or at least for those engineers responsible for the administration of major public infrastructure such as roads, railways, water supply and energy generation? Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) There is a difference in the pay rates for engineers within the minister’s portfolio but it is considerably less than 20 per cent. There is anecdotal evidence that some private sector engineers are paid more. (2) Main Roads is currently exploring a number of industrial options within the Government’s current labour relations framework to address wages issues. (3) The current salaries relativity framework recognises the skills and competencies of all employees in the organisation. These relativities are directly integrated with the work arrangements required to deliver the road program. This is independent of award coverage of employees.
Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) There is a difference in the pay rates for engineers within the minister’s portfolio but it is considerably less than 20 per cent. There is anecdotal evidence that some private sector engineers are paid more. (2) Main Roads is currently exploring a number of industrial options within the Government’s current labour relations framework to address wages issues. (3) The current salaries relativity framework recognises the skills and competencies of all employees in the organisation. These relativities are directly integrated with the work arrangements required to deliver the road program. This is independent of award coverage of employees.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) There is a difference in the pay rates for engineers within the minister’s portfolio but it is considerably less than 20 per cent. There is anecdotal evidence that some private sector engineers are paid more. (2) Main Roads is currently exploring a number of industrial options within the Government’s current labour relations framework to address wages issues. (3) The current salaries relativity framework recognises the skills and competencies of all employees in the organisation. These relativities are directly integrated with the work arrangements required to deliver the road program. This is independent of award coverage of employees.
(1) There is a difference in the pay rates for engineers within the minister’s portfolio but it is considerably less than 20 per cent. There is anecdotal evidence that some private sector engineers are paid more. (2) Main Roads is currently exploring a number of industrial options within the Government’s current labour relations framework to address wages issues. (3) The current salaries relativity framework recognises the skills and competencies of all employees in the organisation. These relativities are directly integrated with the work arrangements required to deliver the road program. This is independent of award coverage of employees.
(2) Main Roads is currently exploring a number of industrial options within the Government’s current labour relations framework to address wages issues. (3) The current salaries relativity framework recognises the skills and competencies of all employees in the organisation. These relativities are directly integrated with the work arrangements required to deliver the road program. This is independent of award coverage of employees.
(3) The current salaries relativity framework recognises the skills and competencies of all employees in the organisation. These relativities are directly integrated with the work arrangements required to deliver the road program. This is independent of award coverage of employees.
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