Tuesday, February 14, 2023
Time to start valuing our public sector workers
The BBC reports that official figures show that regular pay has grown at the fastest rate in more than 20 years, but is still failing to keep up with rising prices.
They say that pay, excluding bonuses, increased at an annual pace of 6.7% between October and December 2022, however, when adjusted for inflation, regular pay fell by 2.5%.
Importantly, the gap between private and public sector pay continued, with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) finding that private regular pay was up 7.3% annually between October and December, compared with a 4.2% rise in the public sector.
They say that pay, excluding bonuses, increased at an annual pace of 6.7% between October and December 2022, however, when adjusted for inflation, regular pay fell by 2.5%.
Importantly, the gap between private and public sector pay continued, with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) finding that private regular pay was up 7.3% annually between October and December, compared with a 4.2% rise in the public sector.
Both figures are being outstripped by the rising cost of living, with inflation - the rate at which prices are rising - running at 10.5%.
The way that public sector workers are treated is a disgrace. They no longer have inflation-linked final salary pensions, which was the justification for paying them less in the past. Instead they are asked to work in often poor working conditions for less than they can get in less skilled jobs in the private sector.
It is little wonder that there are recuitment issues, adding to the pressure on remaining employees, or that they would want to strike for a fairer deal.
The way that public sector workers are treated is a disgrace. They no longer have inflation-linked final salary pensions, which was the justification for paying them less in the past. Instead they are asked to work in often poor working conditions for less than they can get in less skilled jobs in the private sector.
It is little wonder that there are recuitment issues, adding to the pressure on remaining employees, or that they would want to strike for a fairer deal.
