10% pay increase proposed

By Rebecca Codey

AN incremental pay rise of 10 per cent over 2½ years has been proposed in the next ADF Workplace Remuneration Arrangement (WRA), which is now ready for consultation.

The cumulative pay rises over the 30 months of the WRA would begin on May 6, 2004, and apply to all salary and salary-related allowances.

The proposed increments are: 2.5% on May 6, 2004; 4% on November 4, 2004; 2% on June 2, 2005; and 1.5% on March 9, 2006.

Assistant Director Industrial Policy, Directorate of Salary and Allowances, Martin Kennedy said the overall outcome was broadly comparable to the outcome being offered to civilian staff in the Defence Employee Certified Agreement (DECA), although the timing and size of the four increments differed.

Productivity improvements associated with the WRA and the DECA include the continuation of the commitment to achieving Defence White Paper targets, Results through People, organisational reform, the introduction of Defence travel reforms and employee self service.

The WRA is more than simply a pay rise – it gives ADF members a general indication of what the future holds for them.

“Basically the WRA sets the scene for the next few years,” Mr Kennedy said.

“It outlines the CDF and the Service Chiefs’ expectations of what lies ahead across the whole ADF and what the organisation intends to do in terms of remuneration to recognise increased productivity, efficiency and personnel contribution to capability.

“It also explains how the ADF will maintain the whole package in relation to how we sit within the wider Australian community in terms of remuneration.

“We must maintain competitiveness because we need to attract and retain our people. The WRA helps do all of these things in a broad sense.”

The consultation draft of the WRA will be widely distributed throughout the ADF for review and comment.

“The main form of feedback we receive, and the avenue that has a very significant impact, is through the chain of command,” Mr Kennedy said. “This will not only provide a clear sense of what the leadership thinks, but also the views of the people they command.”

To explain the Arrangement and answer any questions, the WRA team will conduct national roadshows from late October to mid-November. Feedback is also sought during the roadshows.

The chain of command is scheduled to provide consolidated reports of ADF members’ views of the proposed Arrangement in late November or early December. It is planned for the WRA to be presented to the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal some time in the new year, and to take effect on May 6, 2004.

THE INCREMENTS

2.5% on May 6, 2004
4% on November 4, 2004
2% on June 2, 2005
1.5% on March 9, 2006

HOW TO OBTAIN DRAFT WRA

Copies of the draft WRA will be available via the chain of command. The document will also be available on the Intranet through a hotlink on the Defweb home page, via the Defence Personnel Executive website or by going directly to http://defweb.cbr.defence.gov.au/dpedsa (on the Defence Intranet). Internet users can access the same information via www.defence.gov.au/dpe/dsa.

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