CODE 2, VOL 37, NO 13 : 20 september 2023

COLA PAYMENTS

Your union wrote to the Commissioner on 12 September 2023 requesting that he confirm whether the COLA payments, which were fought for and won by your union, would be calculated on your average standardised wage rate. 

We reminded him that Firefighters and Stations Officers, BAOs and Fire Communications employees are dealt with specifically by clauses 64, 80 & 106 of CA22 and that these classifications of employees ought to receive a COLA payment which is made on a total rolled up rate which is different to your base rate.

The Commissioner has responded to your union and he has informed us:

·         HR and Industrial Relations with support by QSS Payroll have shared with the UFUQ “explanations and reassurances as to the staging of the payroll build required to ensure primary base build then additional coding to ensure average standardised components are also run by no later than 15 September 2023. This will ensure your members receive their correct and bespoke COLA payments when their pays are deposited to their bank accounts this week on 20 September 2023.”

·         “Projected pay-slips would only show correct figures once this final layer of build, test and run was completed between 13 and 15 September 2023.”

This can be translated into a simple statement that your COLA is on your standard (averaged) fortnightly full rate, not your base rate.  We now wait and see whether our members will receive their “correct and bespoke COLA payments” in the week of 18 September 2023 as part of your normal fortnightly pay, on whatever day it is received by you.

I remind you that these bespoke COLA payments were negotiated, and obtained for you, by the UFUQ, and no other employees in the Queensland public service are eligible for COLA at the rolled up rate.

John Oliver - General Secretary