Lower salary levels to gain most from rise

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By HELEN TARAWA
PUBLIC servants in the lower salary levels will receive as much as 17.5 per cent pay increases annually over the next three years, according to a formula in an agreement signed on Friday.
The agreement was signed by Department of Personnel Management Secretary John Kali and Public Employees Association president Emma Faiteli.
Kali said those in the lower levels would enjoy the highest increases when the 3 per cent pay rise was applied in accordance with formula.
Details of the formula could not be obtained.
But Kali said “the way we worked out the formula will benefit the lower income earners far better than those at the top”.
“We are giving the majority of the members of the Public Employees Association who are at the lower end (of the salary scale) massive increases in terms of the salary adjustments,” he said.
He said allowances would not be increased.
“That’s a major sacrifice we are also making – no increase to any allowance over the next three years,” he said.
“On July 1, 2018, we will also review the economic conditions.
“I will then write to the presidents of the Public Employees Association, if the conditions have improved then we can start looking at other benefits apart from the salaries.”
He said department heads and provincial administrators were on performance-based contracts.