NSW government offers 8.5% pay rise to lowest-paid health workers to head off industrial action

Offer comes after the Health Services Union gave the government until Friday to propose a new pay deal

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The lowest-paid health workers in New South Wales could get a pay increase of up to 8.5% under a new state government offer intended to head off threatened industrial action.

The proposal comes after the Health Services Union (HSU) gave the Minns government until Friday to offer a new pay deal, after its members voted to rebuke Labor's promise to increase public sector wages by 4%.

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