Pay scale

A pay scale is the table of minimum wages per job class and experience, laid down in your joint committee's collective agreement. It is the legal floor of your pay; for technical shortage profiles the market usually pays above scale.

How do you read a scale?

A scale crosses two axes: the job classification (how complex and responsible your work is, often class A to D or category 1 to 5) and your experience or seniority in steps. Your employer must grade you correctly based on your real tasks, not your diploma or title. Under-grading is a classic, silent way pay gets lost.

Scale versus market pay

The scale is a minimum. In the technical sector, where shortage professions are the norm, actual market pay often sits 10 to 30 percent above sector minima. If you are offered only the scale for an in-demand profile, you are negotiating with the wrong reference: use the market ranges from our salary guide.

Where do you find current scales?

In the collective agreement database of the Federal Employment Service, at your union, or through your payroll provider. They change with every indexation and sector pay agreement, so always check the latest version before the pay conversation.

Frequently asked questions

My pay is above scale. Does the scale still matter?

Yes, for two reasons: scale increases (experience steps) and indexations are often calculated on the scale and can shrink your lead if your actual pay does not move along. And when your role changes, the classification sets your new minimum. Watch both at review time.

Who decides which job class I fall into?

Your employer grades you following the sector agreement's classification, based on your real tasks. If you disagree, request the classification criteria and hold your task package against them; the union or the sector's classification committee can mediate.

Want to see what this means in practice?

Browse our open technical vacancies: every role shows a transparent salary range, the shift system and the premiums.

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