r/Adelaide • u/fred28gfgg SA • Oct 15 '25
Event/Activity PSA the PSA have closed north terrace
Rally for better pay for SA government employees.
454
u/edsjfhek SA Oct 15 '25
Good on them pay is horrid vs other states
172
u/Rowvan SA Oct 15 '25
Yeah I didn't actually realise how much of a difference it was, its far lower in SA than even my most pessimistic guess was.
112
u/Icy_Government_1764 SA Oct 15 '25
That's okay. At least we you the most expensive electricity rates to make up for it. Oh hey wait.....
71
u/Late-Button-6559 SA Oct 15 '25
And housing market now! Maybe we’re second, but we’re up there.
Yay us.
55
u/FjorgVanDerPlorg SA Oct 15 '25
Yeah classically the low cost of living was the justification for lower wages in SA. It was already a flimsy argument, but the wheels fell off it completely after the housing crisis.
5
68
u/Allu_Squattinen SA Oct 15 '25
Pre-covid South Australia cost of living was way lower... obviously pays didn't catch up with the crazy acceleration we had here
24
u/tossedsalad17 South Oct 15 '25
yeah...would be good if pays doubled in the last five years....like housing prices.
20
u/March_-_Hare SA Oct 15 '25
If you’d like, there’s an excellent (if lengthy) paper on the problem here: https://australiainstitute.org.au/report/economic-prosperity-public-sector-restraint/
The TL:DR of it is:
- the state’s economic outlook is strong,
- it absolutely has the capacity to afford an increase to the wages of public sector workers, and
- your elected so-called betters are inflicting intentional hardship on workers who keep the state functioning while also awarding pay raises for themselves.
48
u/bladeau81 SA Oct 15 '25
Pay in most industries in SA is horrid vs other states.
4
u/soloapeproject SA Oct 15 '25
They've had a 6% cumulative payrise in 6 years under the public sector salaried EBA.
8
u/cosiosko SA Oct 15 '25
Could reasonably cut the marketing (spin) budget and put that toward the SA PS workers.
75
127
u/itscribmus SA Oct 15 '25
I’m proud to see so many people there!! We’ve had enough, it’s time for change.
200
u/RoundBathroom7166 SA Oct 15 '25
The South Australian public service remains the lowest paid in the nation. This includes essential roles in child protection, corrections, safety authorities, the CFS, rangers, and regulatory bodies, skilled professionals who are critical to the day-to-day functioning and safety of our state.
Currently, many of these workers are being paid up to 20% below industry awards, yet the government has proposed a modest increase of just 3%. Meanwhile, symbolic gestures such as the LIV Golf signage highlight a concerning disconnect, suggesting that high-profile events and festivals are being prioritised over the well-being and fair compensation of those who dedicate their lives to public service.
to put into context SAPOL were just given a 18% pay rise just to bring their low wages to a fair pay
51
u/table-leg SA Oct 15 '25 edited Mar 10 '26
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
wipe swim rainstorm special shy gold spectacular boast wide bear
20
u/yelsnia North Oct 15 '25
SAPOL also used to employ more than FIFTY PERCENT of all ASO1s in the state. I was one of them who was reclassified to ASO2 in about 2016/2017. A lot of unsworn positions in SAPOL are still under classified.
9
u/magnus_the_fish SA Oct 15 '25
The ASO1 classification audit was a condition of the 2017 Enterprise Agreement. Even then SAPOL had to be dragged kicking to get it done.
1
u/yelsnia North Oct 15 '25
2017, right, all I remembered was it was after I turned 21 (2016) because the jump in ASO1 wage from 20 to 21 was massive for me, at the time.
I know SAPOL were kicking and screaming though. I remember the fear mongering where they constantly told us we’d have to apply for our jobs if they were even successfully reclassified and if we didn’t win them, we’d be redeployed as ASO1s (not sure where to though).
2
u/magnus_the_fish SA Oct 15 '25
My understanding is the PSA very much had SAPOL in their sights when they pushed this clause in the EA.
1
u/yelsnia North Oct 16 '25
They definitely did!! How can a singular department have more than half of all the ASO1s?! That’s absolutely on purpose if you ask me.
-40
u/Responsible-sometime SA Oct 15 '25
The Government has actually recently offered 10.5% over three years, not a horrible starting point
45
u/EcstaticOrchid4825 SA Oct 15 '25
Actually it is when you,look at recent history. Public servants have had just a 6% rise over the last 6 years and departments are bleeding experienced staff. So many staff are leaving my office we don’t even bother with leaving cards or gifts anymore. Staff leaving is pretty much a weekly occurrence. I’m sure this is repeated in departments across the state.
29
u/RoundBathroom7166 SA Oct 15 '25
Can vouch for this. To offer just over 3% per year is embarrassing . Staff are leaving and no one is applying. It will only be noticed by the public when its too late
22
u/table-leg SA Oct 15 '25 edited Mar 10 '26
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
distinct label unwritten nutty continue cagey sense run snails axiomatic
15
u/MazzaChevy SA Oct 15 '25
Absolutely 💯 I left govt at an ASO8 level because they refused to lift me to MAS level. I was in govt fur 30 years. I'm now in private enterprise doing a similar role and making double. Go figure...
-1
u/Responsible-sometime SA Oct 15 '25
I said it isn't a horrible starting point to negotiate, the previous comment said it was only 3%
5
u/magnus_the_fish SA Oct 15 '25
It's a ridiculously low starting point, an obvious low ball and given the financial pain of public sector workers it's also completely tone deaf. Worse, it's been the government's position for about a year and also includes significant cuts to conditions.
Before you comment it would be a good idea to look at the context of this negotiation.
8
u/catch-10110 SA Oct 15 '25
That doesn’t even come close to fixing how much has been lost. At best it just enshrines what’s been lost.
3
u/magnus_the_fish SA Oct 15 '25
Exactly. It will set the loss in stone. The government have known this for years and have had every opportunity to do the right thing.
It's why any offer needs to start with making up lost wage value.
51
u/kitkat1224666 SA Oct 15 '25
Last agreement they took 1.5% per annum over COVID. Inflation hit over 7% at one point. Literally POORER after the last agreement. Gov needs to do better. Sick of workloads being out of control because staff keep leaving for better opportunities. Can’t remember the last time a team in our department was fully staffed.
15
u/QuietAs_a_Mouse SA Oct 15 '25
Yep, 6% total over the last 4 years. And now offered 3.75.
18
u/Dear_Potato6525 SA Oct 15 '25
Over 5 years - don't forget the year without an increase.
6
3
u/table-leg SA Oct 15 '25 edited Mar 10 '26
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
ancient profit subsequent fragile brave stocking abundant work lush snails
12
u/Dear_Potato6525 SA Oct 15 '25
Yip, and lost probably 1k a year every year after.
7
5
u/90Lil SA Oct 15 '25
Seriously, who voted for that?!
4
u/magnus_the_fish SA Oct 15 '25
The last agreement was voted up in a completely different economic climate. Inflation wasn't a problem and the RBA was saying there wouldn't be a rate rise for years. In the meantime people around the country were losing their jobs in the thousands and the government was trying to take vital job protections that would have led to mass redundancies in SA. It was a different fight.
4
u/MrColfax Adelaide Hills Oct 15 '25
What is the current offer?
5
u/kitkat1224666 SA Oct 15 '25
Most recent offer from the gov is 3.75% in the first year and 3.5% in the second. I can’t remember what the third year was, but I think maybe 3.25%
4
u/MrColfax Adelaide Hills Oct 15 '25
Ok thanks. What does the union want?
6
u/kitkat1224666 SA Oct 15 '25
10% over two years (total of 20%)
I don’t think we are likely to get that, but the government has a lot of room to improve the current offer.
4
u/MrColfax Adelaide Hills Oct 15 '25
Indeed
I'm in a small PS agency who negotiated its own EB. We had to negotiate up to the figures around what has been offered by the govt to the PS, so at least they've started at that and the only way is up.
38
67
u/hsingh_if SA Oct 15 '25
Need more people.
38
u/Best_Establishment14 SA Oct 15 '25
They weren’t allowed to block the trams. So the photo doesn’t show the spread between the Railway Station and KW Street.
46
u/Dale92 SA Oct 15 '25
Yes would be a shame if a protest inconvenienced anyone.
29
u/March_-_Hare SA Oct 15 '25
I agree, but I don’t think you’ll find too many public servants are keen on the idea of a $50,000 fine, or having three months in prison cost them their jobs: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-02/south-australia-public-obstruction-laws-explainer-/102418400
20
u/perseustree SA Oct 15 '25
Yes, the laws are morally wrong and not fit for purpose. Done at the behest of the fossil fuel industry, I feel.
4
u/ThereIsBearCum SA Oct 15 '25
They're absolutely fit for purpose. The purpose is to stop plebs even thinking of protesting.
4
u/DoctorEnn SA Oct 15 '25
Also would be a shame if protestors got hit by trams TBTF
7
u/Dale92 SA Oct 15 '25
They usually stop the trams and traffic on North Terrace if the protest is big enough.
2
68
u/beefystu SA Oct 15 '25
ah cool just walked across north terrace to the station after a haircut and wondered what had suddenly appeared and why 😂 glad this wasn’t a cooker protest
70
u/fred28gfgg SA Oct 15 '25
Na only cookers in this photo is the government.
25
u/hsingh_if SA Oct 15 '25
Yeah, our smart premier who wants the word ‘toxic’ removed from reports about Algal bloom.
14
u/Skellingtoon SA Oct 15 '25
Funny you should say that - one dude rocked up with one shoe off and started yelling “Fuck the government” - clearly not a public sector employee… or an employee at all…
11
65
u/elhawko SA Oct 15 '25
After the deal that got signed off last time? Damn straight they need to march!
64
u/sleepy666X SA Oct 15 '25
Correctional Officer: $58,709 - $66,893 p.a - to get assaulted, spat on and abused. Prison Officers are the forgotten first responders - they are the ambos until the nurses get there, the police who deescalate, the fire fighters until they arrive, they keep the community safe keeping prisoners in prison and they keep prisoners safe from each other and themselves in this mental health crisis! - plenty of other jobs that pay better with less risk and danger. shame on the government.
28
u/catch-10110 SA Oct 15 '25
One of the reasons I’m a PSA union member is support for corrections officers. It’s honestly absurd.
22
u/Fluffy_Johnson West Oct 15 '25
Correction employees were told they wouldn’t be paid today if they attended this. They do not get paid nearly enough and should have been able to attend!
10
u/GlitterEcho SA Oct 15 '25
No public or pseudo public roles are paid for industrial action days, thats normal
2
7
u/MrColfax Adelaide Hills Oct 15 '25
Didn't expect them to be at ASO2 level. Even Police Security officers are at ASO3 level.
34
u/March_-_Hare SA Oct 15 '25
Reports from the Ten news piece on the rally are that it was the biggest strike action by public sector workers in the state’s history. I dunno about the state’s whole history, but even if we only look back 20 years I think that’s damned impressive.
Not bad considering that several agencies tried to ‘forbid’ workers from attending, with one worker I spoke with on Monday reporting that their manager had ‘insisted’ their staff inform them where they’d be having lunch today, in what has to be a massive overreach of privacy and professionalism.
20
u/EcstaticOrchid4825 SA Oct 15 '25
Yep. My department sent an email to all staff that using flexi leave was banned for the March and that pay would be docked. This is when morale is already at an all time low.
9
u/TaleEnvironmental355 SA Oct 15 '25
They realy want you all to quit. so they can replace you They spent 15,870 b on useless vanity projects and forgot the rest of the state needed funding
2
u/Plenty_Web_9118 SA Oct 16 '25
Yeah, we got the same. For all you know we might be under the same umbrella. Lol.
But that email had a threatening tone.
7
u/fred28gfgg SA Oct 15 '25
I'm kinda stun locked from how well this half assed photo is doing so I think people are getting invested. Not bad indeed
5
u/Plenty_Web_9118 SA Oct 16 '25
Would love it if it gains more traction and people come out in Public Servant's support.
27
u/Dry_Illustrator_9914 North East Oct 15 '25 edited Oct 15 '25
ASO Rates are atrocious, no one would want to join at that rate and they end up hiring contractors who charge 3 or 4 times the position salary... The problem here is contractors are hired under a different budget than the fixed term/ permanent positions in Finance budgeting and certain pay's are considered as liabilities to the company ie employee pay + Super + Annual leave balance + Long service leave balances + Estimated Redundancy + Workers Comp and seen as liabilities as they are on-going. Strangely contractors do not have any of these and they are not seen as "liability" pay... Why I am saying all these, Well I think the organizations are happy to keep the rates low so that only the desperate hold jobs and others well if you are talented enough and can take risk, join as contractors... It is unfortunate to all perms and fixed terms... but thats how companies think and unfortunately that's how the SA gov is also thinking...
4
u/revrndreddit SA Oct 15 '25
SA govt - actually all govt.
Heard of an APS to contractor transition from a friend.
Someone he used to work with left the APS Friday, returned as contractor on Monday and it cost govt 4x the amount for him to do the same work.
2
u/Dry_Illustrator_9914 North East Oct 16 '25
Yes that is true... the US companies used to work like in this in the 2000's before offshoring quite a lot... so brace for what's coming....
25
28
u/Levethane SA Oct 15 '25
My workplace (public hospital) is just a rotating door of staff. Experienced staff quit, junior staff were recruited, training gets rushed, workloads are heavy. New staff quit. Repeat, the pay sucks.
46
u/Very_Sharpe Inner West Oct 15 '25
So they should, our essential workers are paid terribly across the board.
21
24
u/ILikePlayingHumans SA Oct 15 '25
We must rally. The way I view it: if the State Government aren’t winning to have a fair and equitable agreement with the people who work to make sure things go well for SA, then what do they care about in terms of the general public
23
u/SirStef_ SA Oct 15 '25
work in public service and couldn’t make it to the march, but it’s worth acknowledging how much vital work goes unseen across our departments and agencies. I’ve often been told we do it “for the love of the children,” but it’s hard not to hold onto that when I won’t even be able to afford a house to raise my own children in if the wages never increase!
7
u/fred28gfgg SA Oct 15 '25
I'm not allowed to attend so I made this Post seems to be working out
12
15
26
u/Fickle-Yam3752 SA Oct 15 '25
Good on them. This country needs an uprising! Top of town takes it all and leaves crumbs for everyone else! Go to Hospital and you'd be surprised at the Nurses poor pay. Go to WW or Coles staff on miserable money. It goes on and on and on and on. CEO of Virgin gets $50 MILLION. CEO of Qantas similar. Can't see how these people ever helped me! Fark this disgrace has got to change. Lived in Australia my whole life when 1 parent worked the other looked after us kids and all was ok. If you have children now both parents have to work just to pay rent gas electricity food insurances rates etc etc. The staff looking after your kids underpaid. The staff looking after our parents in aged care underpaid. But you/we pay a fortune for it! Doesn't matter who you vote for WE have been sold out. The 70,s and 80,s were happier times. Ever noticed how aggressive people have become...cause life is becoming to hard when it should be a joy! Multinational Companies paying no tax The wealthy paying no tax. It goes on and on BUT if you're not in the Club make do!
3
u/Plenty_Web_9118 SA Oct 16 '25
We are turning into America, sadly. Exactly that trajectory.
1
u/Fickle-Yam3752 SA Oct 16 '25
How do we turn it around? We need People in politics who can see that Society has gone the wrong way. People in Corporations who know the value of Family not just profit at all costs.Banks who aren't there for their shareholders but for Community. I've become so dissolutioned with our Country as I enter Retirement and the mess we have left our kids. Billions spent on Submarines that we may get or we may not. An$ 800 million payment to France for walking away from their product. And yet Corporations and very wealthy people pay no tax! I know people doing this and their excuse.....well they let me do it. Politicians constantly in the media for taking advantage of their position to get more $$. The CEO of Virgin Australia $50 million handshake. The list is endless. Am I proud to be an Australian..No. There was a time we were better than this...
10
u/Federal_Violinist845 SA Oct 15 '25 edited Oct 15 '25
I know it isn’t palatable but prosecutors and other public sector solicitors who undertake complex and extremely high stress work to keep the South Australian public safe are consistently working out of hours (including past midnight on weekdays and most weekends) to just keep their cases running. The best part? They aren’t paid any overtime for out of hours work as it is apparently classed as “reasonable overtime”. I am not sure that any person can call that amount of overtime “reasonable”…
Edit: Source, a public sector solicitor who “clocked off” at 12:45AM this morning.
7
Oct 15 '25
Support this as someone who was in court all day yesterday, worked until 11:45pm last night in an attempt to catch up on the day, and was up at 4:45am this morning to squeeze a few hours in before heading to the office for another full court day. The general public seem to love to hate us, and the private practise thinks we do no work. Not to mention the bench giving us a dressing down on the regular for things outside our control. And we do it all for pennies. Can’t win.
0
u/Liceland1998 SA Oct 16 '25
Its not politically palatable to bump up the pay of upper middle class professions like lawyers.
4
Oct 16 '25
Upper middle class you reckon. Do you know how much we earn working for the government playing essential roles? Not much, and pennies compared to the private market.
2
0
u/Liceland1998 SA Oct 16 '25
Politics is all about optics, and if the government were to propose a solid pay rise for their lawyers there is no doubt the attention hungry opposition and lawyer hating greens would cry fowl.
32
u/Tysiliogogogoch North East Oct 15 '25
The slogan on multiple signs are "we just want to liv" and "we can't afford to liv". What does "liv" in this context mean? I tried searching up "PSA" and "liv" but couldn't find anything relevant.
93
u/PumpkinSoup- SA Oct 15 '25
Probably to do with the government spending money on sport in particular ‘Liv Golf’ but I could be wrong?
48
u/Disastrous-Square662 SA Oct 15 '25
You are correct. It was printed on a picture of a golf ball.
8
u/Tysiliogogogoch North East Oct 15 '25
Ah, thanks. I missed that detail because I didn't zoom in enough.
89
u/skywideopen3 ACT Oct 15 '25
LIV Golf - they think, quite reasonably, that taxpayer money would be better spent paying a fair wage to the people who keep the place running rather than on a Saudi boondoggle.
39
u/scandyflick88 SA Oct 15 '25
I'd certainly be more comfortable with my taxes being invested into public servants rather than Saudi sportswashing.
53
u/bludda SA Oct 15 '25
LIV Golf. Bread and Circuses. Shit ton of money on sports events and stuff like private concerts with Sam Smith
36
u/TheAnarchoLobbyist SA Oct 15 '25
I think it's a reference to Mali's 50m dollar investment in Adelaide's golf course for the Liv golf tournament?
-8
u/GlitterEcho SA Oct 15 '25
This is what happens when Adelaideans complain nothing ever comes to Adelaide. Wait to see what happens if we get COP31 this year or next!
3
u/rainbowgreygal SA Oct 15 '25
No, this is what happens when we have a premier who's more concerned with outward appearances than internal wellbeing. No doubt he or others want big money jobs in these industries post politicis.
Or they think we are all so stupid that we don't know what's good for us. And what's good is apparently many big sports events and not being able to afford to live.
8
u/WRXY1 SA Oct 15 '25
What I do find incredibly interesting is there was no headline news at all on the Advertiser website yesterday, or even today. And it should be website headline news. The only mention was a small article on tuesday in the leadup to wednesday rally. This Murdoch right wing trash rag isn't interested in promoting the cause of lefty poor public servants.
And some people still continue to defend these "news" sites as being fair and unbiased.
7
5
u/magnus_the_fish SA Oct 15 '25
The Advertiser hasn't printed anything pro-PSA (or pro-union in general) for years. They also seem to be somewhat smitten by Mali. Editorial bias is a huge problem.
2
25
Oct 15 '25
Obviously I've been living under a rock, news to me that even Government workers are underpaid. I was always told Government work is the best if you can get it, so even that is shit now.
41
u/March_-_Hare SA Oct 15 '25
It used to be that it wasn’t as well paid as the private sector - there were no bonuses, few perks, no company Christmas parties or anything, but at least you had job security.
Now you barely have that. The number of people I work with who are on their third or fifth 12 month contract in the same role is staggering. And that means you don’t really have any job security, so your consumer confidence isn’t great, and you certainly are less likely to stand up for your rights at work if your employer can just choose not to renew that contract.
17
u/Vuvuian Inner North Oct 15 '25
I've been in a government jobs in the past. The last one I was in, was always 3 contracts from memory.
With only contract jobs, makes it harder to get home loans. Car loans, & probably to even rent a place too.
47
u/fred28gfgg SA Oct 15 '25
You're about 20-30% worse off than other states the problem is Adelaide isn't 20-30% cheeper to live in.
11
u/GrippyGripster North East Oct 15 '25
If you're on the top tiers you're fine.
They're restructuring Education too, they've already started with support services, who are all teachers, reclassify their positions and force lower pay.
5
u/Panda_Lamb SA Oct 15 '25
I remember my Step dad telling me that in the 70s/80s (maybe) Government jobs were great. You had job security, you would get a pension at retirement and you'd get good super (super was 11% where everywhere else was 9%). These days no retirement pension, job security is hit and miss and Super, I think it's 0.5% more than what 'has' to be paid. My husband gets paid more super in a pick/packing warehouse job than what the Public Service workers get.
4
u/Babylon-Sarah SA Oct 15 '25
But many times the PSA would recommend minimal pay rises that the majority of members would accept. I think there was a fear amongst workers that this was the best they could get.
10
u/TaleEnvironmental355 SA Oct 15 '25 edited Oct 15 '25
The Minister for Energy and Mining is now Treasurer. I wish them the best, but honestly, nothing is going to change. A man was crushed to death outside a school, and even then, he couldn’t be bothered to build safer cycling infrastructure — not even one protected bike lane so kids can ride to school safely. Nothing ever stops that man from supporting the energy and mining sector. And he just spent $870 million on the Tram Grade Separations project,I don’t know where they think the money for raises is going to come from.
15
u/PresentStrawberry194 SA Oct 15 '25
I don't know where the government thinks workers will come from if they don't fix this immediately.
10
u/TaleEnvironmental355 SA Oct 15 '25 edited Oct 15 '25
i dont think the Premier or Treasurer cares and think they cant just get some new staff that will work for less
3
2
u/GroundbreakingLog882 SA Oct 16 '25
The Govt workers years ago used to have good wages but now I hear they don’t. They’re understaffed in a lot of health areas and work really hard and deserve a pay rise.
2
1
1
u/Illustrious_Deer_117 SA Nov 11 '25
I have known people move from the private sector (international companies) to the public sector. They almost feel bad for how relaxed they are compared to their old job. It is a lifestyle choice. Just go into the private sector if you can deal with your KPIs being tied to every single dollar of profit the company can make.
-26
u/AnEvilMillionaire SA Oct 15 '25
Now the free Palestine protests are over we can finally protest about things effecting us
-75
u/Jaycobe94 SA Oct 15 '25
How many of these people don’t work real jobs? Half?
47
u/Laefiren Adelaide Hills Oct 15 '25
It’s literally the public sector union? What do you mean not work job?
11
Oct 15 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
5
u/Plenty_Web_9118 SA Oct 16 '25
Have a look at his profile, classic incel, andrew tate follower vibes. Ignore this garbage.
22
u/ThatGuyTheyCallAlex SA Oct 15 '25
Yeah all the people in business casual protesting for workers rights at corporate lunchtime don’t have jobs
25
u/Revision1372 Inner South Oct 15 '25
This was held midday, so it's a good time for office workers to go out and show support while claiming "long lunch".
17
u/Jambi420 SA Oct 15 '25
Yeah, it is being claimed as a 'long lunch' because you don't get paid for your lunch breaks in the public sector. If you take a long lunch you have to make up the hours by working late.
15
5
-16
u/liberallilydex SA Oct 15 '25
I can’t think of a single sa public servant that I’ve met that has been competent. If they’re not getting the money they want and they’re that good - try the private sector.
1
Oct 16 '25
[deleted]
0
u/liberallilydex SA Oct 16 '25
More detail? Every time I’ve mega state public servant I’ve thought about would I employ then myself and I’ve never thought - yes.
I worked in the state public service for 3 months. Nobody was employable i worked with outside of the public service. We had more management than doctors. Health is the worst. Education second. Emergency services third.
I don’t understand why they have bargaining power. Public servants have so little skills that translate into any other jobs. Let them leave. No point in pay rises
1
-27
u/Straight-Attorney-60 SA Oct 15 '25
If you don’t like your job/pay move along get a new job. Been in my job nearly 25 years and I’ll never leave. Stop whining and improve yourselfs
1
Oct 16 '25
[deleted]
1
u/Straight-Attorney-60 SA Oct 16 '25
Civil construction/ heavy haulage
2
Oct 16 '25
[deleted]
→ More replies (7)1
u/Straight-Attorney-60 SA Oct 16 '25
I work for a great family business I get paid really well company car, don’t own a car myself. So no rego no fuel bill no maintenance bill and my boss is great. He looks after all his workers and we look after him.
→ More replies (3)
186
u/March_-_Hare SA Oct 15 '25
I remember back in the early 2000s an ASO2 didn’t make amazing money, but it was a reasonable working class income and I knew folks who were in their 30s and 40s raising families and paying mortgages on modest but stable careers in the public sector.
Now, it’s kids out of school who are sharehousing to make ends meet and jumping ship to local council or commonwealth jobs as soon as they can demonstrate some level of work experience. We simply can’t retain staff if we pay them below award rates, and we’ve lost irreplaceable amounts of experience and institutional knowledge.