Federal politicians get one free first class round the world?

[whatmeworry]

I'm in a quasi-state government position and travel class is related to annual pay. Over $150k per annum equals business. Not sure about first.

In a Yes Minister scenario, I am sure public servant pay/travel class is somehow linked to how much a member of parliament is paid and their level.

 

[medhead]

In a Yes Minister scenario, I am sure public servant pay/travel class is somehow linked to how much a member of parliament is paid and their level.

I was replying to a comment about the department secretary travel entitlements, not MP's entitlements.

 

[Hvr]

In a Yes Minister scenario, I am sure public servant pay/travel class is somehow linked to how much a member of parliament is paid and their level.

Not even close. The public service have their pay and conditions set by a different body to politicians. There are many politicians getting a lot less money than their Departmental Secretaries.

The public service entitlement to fly business class generally kicks in at Senior Executive Service Level 1, except for CBR-SYD and vv unless it is part of a longer journey.

 

[ajw373]

The public service entitlement to fly business class generally kicks in at Senior Executive Service Level 1, except for CBR-SYD and vv unless it is part of a longer journey.

Nonsense. Each department has their own collective agreement that sets out the entitlements. It varies from department to department and cannot be generalised as you have done.

For example where I work we get business even at entry level on domestic flights 4 hours and over. By contrast some other departments have negotiated away business class travel internationally. So you can get the situation I had on a trip a year or so back to the US where I was up front in J, but someone else from another department on the same job as me was down the back in Y, same level, same job.

 

[Kangol]

For example where I work we get business even at entry level on domestic flights 4 hours and over. By contrast some other departments have negotiated away business class travel internationally. So you can get the situation I had on a trip a year or so back to the US where I was up front in J, but someone else from another department on the same job as me was down the back in Y, same level, same job.

Interesting you mention that, what kind of other entitlements would they get instead of J travel? I would imagine they would be "compensated" in other areas if not class of travel...

 

[casanovawa]

Probably trade of for pay would it be??

I know back before 2000 in WA departments could do a bit of that individual trade off of certain entitlements for increased wages for their particular workers, but when Labor got back in they re-regulated it all and all the depts came back up to the remuneration scales of the best agreement... Now there would just be one set of public sector rules...

 

[ajw373]

Interesting you mention that, what kind of other entitlements would they get instead of J travel? I would imagine they would be "compensated" in other areas if not class of travel...

Pay normally. Essentially in the federal public service to get pay rises you need to demonstrate savings through reduction in work force, reduction in spending or through negotiating away entitlements such as business class air travel.

As Casanovawa said it does get annoying when you trade something away then the government of the day wants to harmonise departments. Federally the current government has tring to do it in relation to entitlements but not pay, then wonder why the workers get a bit annoyed. Where I work years ago we agreed to work an extra 9 minutes a day (taking the working week from 36h45 to 37h30) in return for an extra public holiday (even though 9 minutes a day works out to be closer to a weeks extra work), but in the last lot of negotiations the government wanted to take that away, but of course still work that extra time. We voted it down in the end and in subsequent negotiations got to keep it.

 

[Simo]

Can it be one way.

For some of our Pollies I think it is good value then.