UNITED KINGDOM
A UK Government plan to give above-inflation pay rises for some public sector workers, while excluding others, has been attacked by public sector unions.
Around two million police officers, teachers, National Health Service staff and members of the Armed Forces will see their pay go up by more than the inflation rate.
However, the cash will need to be found from existing Whitehall budgets, meaning savings will be required elsewhere to pay for it.
The measure does not include any extra money above a 1 per cent increase for PS staff working in administrative and policy areas — including those grappling with a possible no-deal exit from the European Union (Brexit).
General Secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS), Mark Serwotka said the announcement had “added fuel to the fire” as the union ballots its members for strike action over pay.
“It is outrageous that the vast majority of Civil Servants who do some of the most important jobs in society are once again being left behind on public sector pay,” Mr Serwotka said.
He noted that existing Departmental budgets had set aside only a 1 per cent pay rise for most PS employees, including those working in job centres, tax offices and the border force — although many Agencies would follow the Cabinet Office guidance to top up this increase to 2 per cent.
Deputy General Secretary of the Prospect union, Garry Graham said there had “never been a Government in peacetime so reliant on the hard work and professionalism of the Civil Service and the coming months will prove even more challenging”.
Assistant General Secretary of the FDA union, Lucille Thirlby said the figures showed that teachers, police officers and National Health Service consultants “clearly have their champions in the Cabinet”, but other PS staff had “once again been given a consolation prize”.
London, 21 July 2019
