More than 3000 public servants at the Australian Bureau of Statistics will accept a new workplace agreement under the government's tough industrial relations framework.
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It was the second time of asking for the bureau's management after a previous offer was voted down in December.
But Chief Statistician David Kalisch was able to turn what he called a "very close" 57 per cent no-vote in December into an even tighter 55 per cent yes-vote last week.
The outcome is a rare bright spot for the government's controversial bargaining policy which is now effectively on hold until after the July 2 federal election with departments "advised" not to make any substantial moves during the caretaker period.
After two years of workplace strife, only about 22 per cent of the 150,000 Commonwealth bureaucrats have now signed up to deals offered under the policy.
Forty-eight deals have been accepted, mostly at small agencies and departments, but substantial workforces at Health, Foreign Affairs and Education and Employment have voted to accept proposals made under the policy.
The Attorney-General's public servants returned a 61 per cent no-vote last week in the wake of giant ballots at the Australian Taxation Office and the Defence Department where workers also rejected the deals on offer.
Immigration and Border Force public servants rallied at Sydney Airport on Thursday to declare their intention to campaign against the Coalition in the election.
Mr Kalisch told his staff last week that they would now get their pay rises after their wages had been frozen since mid-2013.
"This is a very positive outcome for staff and the ABS and I'd like to thank you for your support and patience in what has been a long process," the Chief Statistician wrote. "I look forward to you receiving your well deserved pay rise."
