The WA government has announced nurses and police officers will receive a '"generous" pay rise "as soon as possible", despite ongoing pay negotiations with both sectors.
Both the Australian Nursing Federation and the WA Police Union have been stuck in a long-running dispute with the government, asking for more pay than what is currently on offer, as well as changes to conditions.
Premier Mark McGowan said while negotiations over other elements of pay and conditions will continue, the government had decided to begin implementing changes to "generous" base pay rates "as soon as possible".
For the health workforce, that means payments will be made early next year.
Mr McGowan said that would mean nurses will soon receive a rise of between three and 4.5 per cent, backdated to October 12, while police will see their pay increase by between three and 5.3 per cent, backdated to July 1.
"What this means is that our nurses and police will receive a significant pay increase as soon as we can administratively do it, and make sure that they are properly rewarded for the important work they do across the community," Mr McGowan said.
The pay rise is what the government put forward in its last public sector-wide wages offer, made in September.
That has been accepted by about three-quarters of public sector workers, with the CPSU/CSA the most recent to sign on last week.
Industrial Relations Minister Bill Johnston said this style of payments had been made previously.
"It allows the conclusion to the negotiating process but it does give the benefit to the workforce and to the union members that they can also enjoy this generous wage offer," he said.
"We'll continue through the negotiation process and we hope to formally conclude the agreements, but in the meantime we want to make sure that the workforce benefits from these wage increases."
Work to begin soon on nurse-to-patient ratios
Health minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the decision to make the payment before negotiations concluded was an "important" step for the state's 18,000 nurses and midwives.
She said work would also begin soon on implementing long sought after nurse-to-patient ratios.
"We are still committed to bargaining and bargaining with the union that represents those members but that has taken longer than we would have liked or expected," Ms Sanderson said.
"We are still keen for the ANF to come back to the table and continue bargaining."
The increases could not have been offered earlier, she said, because industrial relations processes had to take their course, including proceedings concerning the Australian Nursing Federation in the state's Industrial Relations Commission.
Ms Sanderson said she wanted to make sure nurses and midwives received the benefit of the offer, despite "uncertainty" with the union, owing to internal issues.
"And our nursing and midwifery workforce should not be punished because of that uncertainty," she said.
Union still wants five per cent pay rise
Australian Nursing Federation secretary Janet Reah said the announcement was a "sensible step".
"If you want to retain nurses and midwives in Western Australia and attract them from other states and territories, the government had no choice but to make today's announcement," she said.
"I think ... they're looking at the staff leaving or cutting hours and they've decided they need to step in.
"It's not getting any better and especially the workload reforms that are desperately, desperately needed, we need to start somewhere and why not start now."
Despite the government's insistence its current offer is final, Ms Reah said the union would continue to campaign for a five per cent pay rise.
"Five per cent is a reasonable ask, and it will put our nurses and midwives in the middle of the wages table and it will be more attractive for nurses and midwives to come to Western Australia and work and fill the ratios that the government's promised," she said.
In a message to members, Ms Reah wrote that the union had told the government in November that if they made a payment like this, industrial action would have been called off.
"At the time, the government said no. The ANF then organised the biggest nursing and midwifery rally in WA history when over 3,500 nurses and midwives converged at Parliament House," Ms Reah said.
Bringing forward the first stage of nurse-to-patient ratios was welcome news, she said.
"We [will] also have the ability to start enforcing the ratios, this will be the start of a significant workload relief for nurses and midwives," her email said.
Opposition health spokesperson Libby Mettam said it was "extraordinary" a deal had not been struck in time for Christmas.
"Our nurses continue to prop up a health system in crisis and it's disappointing that this stand-off continues in the lead up to Christmas," she said.
"This eleventh-hour announcement has illustrated a failed negotiation process by a government who have let our nurses and midwives down."
WA Police Union acting president Paul Gale welcomed the government's announcement, describing it as being a "response to our industrial campaign".
But he said it still fell short of members' expectations.
"With inflation currently running at 7.1 per cent, a pay bump of at least five per cent is what police officers need to keep up with cost-of-living pressures," he said.
"I will have more to say regarding our position when I return from Queensland, and I reveal the results of our ballot tomorrow."
