What Public Service Association of SA does

The Public Service Association of SA Inc (PSA) is the principal trade union representing public sector workers in South Australia, operating in parallel with the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU, SPSF Group) SA Branch under registered status with the South Australian Employment Tribunal and the federal Fair Work Commission. The organization covers approximately 40,000 employees under the South Australian Public Sector Enterprise Agreement, providing industrial representation, collective bargaining, enterprise agreement negotiation, a Members' Rights Hotline, legal services, journey accident cover, and a member benefits ecosystem (PSA Plus, discount cards, holiday homes, the quarterly Review magazine). Current elected leadership comprises General Secretary Charlotte Watson and Assistant General Secretary Celia Brougham, supported by an elected Branch Council across electorates covering Health, Professional Officers, and Operational Services.

The PSA's core 'product' is union membership itself, with revenue generated via membership subscriptions set at 0.95% (+GST) of each member's substantive base salary, capped at the ASO 5 maximum and collected monthly via direct debit. Membership acquisition is community-led and event-driven: worksite delegates recruit within SA Government departments and agencies, supported by rallies, Zoom briefings, social media (Facebook, Instagram), and the quarterly Review magazine. Segmented member networks target Young Members (≤35), Women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members, and Allied Health Professionals. Operational technology is deliberately minimal — website, PCI-DSS compliant Payway payment processing, independent third-party ballot administration via CiVs, and CRM for the Members' Rights Hotline.

The PSA is a not-for-profit organization registered under the Fair Work Act 1994 (SA) and Fair Work Act 2009 (Commonwealth), covered by the Privacy Act 1988. It holds executive positions within SA Unions and is part of the CPSU SPSF Group nationally. Its 2026 strategic focus is the negotiation of a new Salaried Enterprise Agreement offering a proposed 10.8% minimum pay rise over 18 months with back pay to 1 August 2025, supplemented by active enterprise bargaining for Flinders University staff as a vertical extension. Geographic footprint is restricted to South Australia; member benefits extend modestly to New Zealand via PSA Holiday Homes.

Name

Public Service Association of SA

Legal name

Public Service Association of SA Inc

Website

https://psaofsa.asn.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Public Service Association of SA is the principal trade union representing approximately 40,000 South Australian public sector employees, providing industrial representation, enterprise bargaining, legal services, and member benefits through salary-linked subscriptions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Adelaide

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: PSA generates revenue through membership subscriptions calculated as 0.95% (+ GST) of each member's substantive base salary, capped at the maximum salary of ASO 5 classification. Subscriptions are fully tax deductible and collected via monthly direct debit from bank accounts or credit cards. As a not-for-profit organization registered under the Fair Work Act, all revenue supports union operations and member services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Public Service Association of SA is a not-for-profit trade union that represents public sector workers employed by the South Australian Government. It provides industrial representation, enterprise bargaining, workplace advice, legal support, and member benefits, funded primarily through membership subscription fees deducted from member pay.

Product overview

The Public Service Association of SA is a trade union representing approximately 40,000 public sector workers in South Australia. Its core product is union membership, which provides industrial representation, advice through the Members Rights Hotline, and access to member benefits. The benefits portfolio includes the Legal Services Scheme (free legal advice and family mediation), Journey Accident Cover (income protection insurance), Discount Cards (discounted supermarket and retail gift cards), PSA Plus (powered by Union Shopper for extended discounts), and PSA Holiday Homes. The association also publishes the Review Magazine quarterly and operates several member networks including Young Members Network (age 35 and under), Women's Network, Aboriginal Member Network, and Allied Health Professionals Network. Enterprise agreement representation for bargaining with the SA Government is a key service, with ongoing negotiation of the 2026 Salaried Enterprise Agreement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Industrial Representation and Advocacy Representation of public sector members in workplace disputes, grievances, disciplinary processes, and industrial matters with the South Australian Government as employer.
• Enterprise Bargaining and Agreement Negotiation Negotiation of wages, conditions, and enterprise agreements on behalf of public sector members covered by the PSA's bargaining representatives.
• Legal Services for Members Legal advice and representation for members in employment-related matters, including disputes, unfair treatment, and workers' compensation issues.
• Member Benefits Program Access to exclusive discounts, services, and offers available to PSA members as part of their subscription.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10.8% minimum pay rise over 18 months under proposed 2026 Salaried Enterprise Agreement
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• SA UnionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSA is a member of SA Unions and holds positions on the SA Unions Executive. This affiliation provides broader labor movement representation and collective action capabilities across South Australia.
• CPSU SPSF GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSA is part of the CPSU SPSF Group, the national public sector union. CPSU (SPSF) SA Branch rules are registered with the federal Fair Work Commission. The union operates under both PSA and CPSU SPSF Group structures.
• Union ShoppercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPSA Plus Member Benefits Program is powered by Union Shopper, a 100% union-owned organization providing members with deals and discounts on products and services. Union Shopper is a free service for PSA members.
• Health PartnerssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPSA members can access discounted health insurance through Health Partners, an SA-based health fund.
• CiVs (formerly Civica)supportingTechnology or IntegrationIndependent third-party voting platform used for enterprise agreement ballots. CiVs conducts the online ballot for the SA Government's Salaried Enterprise Agreement, separate from both the SA Government and the PSA.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• United Workers Union: Large national union formed through mergers covering public sector, community, transport, and other workers. Comparable in scale and membership-based subscription model, with overlapping coverage in some SA government-instrumentality roles.
• Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU): PSA is the SA Branch of the CPSU SPSF Group, the national public sector union. CPSU is the most directly comparable organisation as PSA operates under its rules and represents the same workforce category at the federal level.
• Health Services Union (HSU): Union covering health and allied health workers across Australian public hospitals and health services. Direct overlap with PSA's Allied Health Professionals membership and Health Electorate members in SA.
• Australian Education Union (AEU): National union for educators across public schools and TAFE, with overlapping representation of PSA's Education Electorate members in SA public schools and education departments.
• Public Service Association of NSW: State-level PSA counterpart representing NSW public sector workers under a near-identical union model — collective bargaining, member subscriptions, and member benefits — making it the closest structural twin to PSA SA.
• Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF): National union for nurses and midwives, with overlapping coverage of SA Health workforce alongside PSA's Health Electorate. Comparable subscription, member benefits, and EA-driven operating model.
• Together Union (Queensland): Principal union for Queensland public sector workers, covering many of the same occupational groups (health, education, public administration). Directly comparable in scope, funding model, and enterprise bargaining function.
• Australian Services Union (ASU): National union covering public sector and community/contract services workers. Overlaps with PSA in representing public sector employees in federal and some state jurisdictions and competes for adjacent membership in service delivery areas.

Others

• Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU): National peak council for Australian trade unions. PSA is affiliated through CPSU and SA Unions; ACTU provides overarching political and industrial strategy that shapes the bargaining environment PSA operates within.
• SA Unions (South Australian Unions): State peak union body in South Australia of which PSA is an affiliated member with Executive representation. Adjacent rather than competitive — provides cross-union coordination and broader labour movement advocacy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PublicServiceAssociationSA
• Instagraminstagram.com/psa_of_sa
• Xx.com/psa_of_sa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/public-service-association-of-sa

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Public Service Association of SA