Good intentions, unintended consequences? UNSW Business School�s Pauline Grosjean examines why pay transparency can have perverse effects. The question of wages is a central concern, especially as the cost of living and interest rates have increased. Let us first remember that salaries in the private sector are not the prerogative of the government but the result of a negotiation between companies and union representatives for employees who are covered by a collective agreement or between companies and the employees themselves.