Government public sector pay offer is “pathetic”, says TUC
The government has today (Tuesday) announced a below-inflation pay increase for prison and police officers.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:
“This below-inflation pay offer is pathetic. This isn't a pay rise, it's a pay cut.
“Public sector workers have suffered seven long years of real pay cuts, and are thousands of pounds worse off. Today’s announcement means bills will continue to rise faster than their wages.
“If Ministers think a derisory rise like this will deal with the staffing crisis in our public services, they are sorely mistaken.
"The government needs to identify where this money is coming from. It can't be loaded on to our already-stretched public services."
- CPI inflation figures announced today showed a rise of 2.9% in prices. The government is offering 2% (including 1% non-consolidated) to police officers, and 1.7% to prison officers, each starting in September 2017.
- Previously unpublished results from a recent poll commissioned by the TUC found that 1 in 7 have skipped meals to make ends meet, and nearly a quarter say they couldn’t pay an unexpected bill. (3,287 respondents working adults in Britain, and just over 700 were public sector workers).
|
Public sector workers (%) |
|
|
Skipping meals |
15 |
|
Worried about expenses |
50 |
|
Think expenses getting worse |
39 |
|
Left heating off |
21 |
|
Pawned something |
21 |
|
Unexpected £500 bill – can’t pay |
24 |
|
Unexpected £500 bill – could pay, but requires debt |
23 |
Source: GQR Research
- TUC research earlier this year showed how much public sector wages would be down in real terms if the pay cap continued until 2020.
|
Occupation |
Pay in 2015/16 |
Pay in 2020/21 |
Real pay cut |
|
Social worker |
£37,858 |
£34,325 |
-£3,533 |
|
Midwife |
£35,255 |
£31,937 |
-£3,288 |
|
Teacher |
£32,831 |
£29,767 |
-£3,064 |
|
Fire fighter |
£29,638 |
£26,827 |
-£2,766 |
|
Nurse |
£28,462 |
£25,806 |
-£2,656 |
|
UK Border Agency officer |
£27,000 |
£24,480 |
-£2,520 |
|
Jobcentre Plus supervisor |
£24,727 |
£22,419 |
-£2,308 |
|
Ambulance driver |
£19,655 |
£17,821 |
-£1,834 |
More info: www.tuc.org.uk/news/nurses-teachers-and-firefighters-facing-falls-thousands-real-pay-end-decade
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