Union anger over pay rises for Premier's staff
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The Public Service Association (PSA) has objected to pay rises awarded to the South Australian Premier's key advisers.
The union says it shows that some Government employees are not expected to go through the enterprise bargaining process.
PSA general secretary Jan McMahon says the union is concerned that the pay rises of up to 16 per cent have been granted to some of Mike Rann's advisers in what appears to be an automatic process.
Ms McMahon says the rises are a worry given the number of industrial disputes affecting other public sector workers, such as nurses, dentists and psychiatrists.
"We have two classes of employees for the Government, one who gets automatic pay rises and others who have to go through often difficult and long and protracted enterprise bargaining processes," she said.
"This is about having equal processes.
"I'm quite sure that all of the other Government employees would all want to be able to access automatic pay rises."
The Premier's main media adviser, Jill Bottrall, says they are promotions not pay rises.
Opposition MP Rob Lucas disagrees.
"Most of these people from what I've seen will be doing the same sort of work as they were doing before," he said.
Bill proposed to change pay system for MPs and advisors
Independent MP Nick Xenophon says he will introduce legislation to State Parliament that would require politicians and their advisors to seek pay rises in the Industrial Relations Commission.
Opposition Leader Martin Hamilton-Smith says the Liberals will look at any bill.
"It's a hypothetical at the moment but you know if Mr Xenophon wants to draft legislation, we'll always consider it," he said.
The Government says its advisers work long hours with few of the benefits other public sector workers get.
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