Further Update to ASOs Leading the Charge for a Real Pay Rise – Now’s the Time to Push!

Further to this morning's update,  please see attached a comparison to interstate wages and  classifications. This information is very telling. You deserve  better and together we can fight to achieve this. 

Spot the difference_jurisdictional comparison.pdf

Forward this to your colleagues & put it up on your noticeboard – we need everyone in this fight.      

“When you’re living pay cheque to pay cheque, what kind of life do you get to live?”  

That’s the question one PSA member put to their employer last week as ASOs from across the public sector – from TAFE to DHS, from CFS to the SA Museum – fronted the bargaining table to demand a 20% pay rise.  

This fight isn’t just about a few – it’s about 40,000 workers across the public service and their families. We are the people the Government calls “essential” – but they refuse to pay us accordingly. Right now, we’re 20%–30% behind other staff interstate doing similar work. That’s not just unfair – it’s unsustainable.  

They told it like it is:

1. The cost of living is crushing us.
2. Our passion for the job is real –  but it’s being exploited.
3. We can’t keep the state running if  we can’t afford to live here.

A fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work – nothing less
One member now rides 12km to work because they can’t afford rego. Another skips medical check-ups. Many work second jobs just to pay the bills. These aren’t “extras” – they’re basic needs.

We’ll keep showing up – but it’s time the Government showed up for us
We care about the people we serve, but love for the job is no excuse for underpayment. Proper wages mean keeping skilled workers here instead of bleeding them to better-paying interstate roles.  

The public sector should be the employer of choice – not a training ground for others.

Be part of the push
Non-members are welcome and encouraged to attend. Every single person in the room adds weight to our demands. Your voice matters – and when we speak together, we are impossible to ignore.  

This pay rise will not be handed to us – we will win it by standing shoulder to shoulder, backing each other in, and refusing to settle for less than we deserve. Our strength is in our unity, and our unity is our power.

The more of us they see, the more they’ll have to listen. This is your pay. Your conditions. And your future. Don't sit on the sidelines - be part of the team that deliver results.

Thank you so much to members who provided feedback to our previous correspondence. We have been overwhelmed and are committed to getting back to you.