Opinion: It's been a weird week for the union movement. The government's calls for a pay freeze have caused outrage. Photo: 123RF The government slapped a pay freeze on public servants, waited for applause, received a backlash from workers it was wildly unprepared for, then backed down as fast as it takes to say "there never was a pay freeze". Amidst all that sound and fury, the government followed up years of promising to introduce Fair Pay Agreements by once again promising to introduce Fair Pay Agreements. This time, however, it looks like it will actually happen. These major industrial reforms will level the playing field and end the race to the bottom in poverty-pay industries, and the labour movement is celebrating.