Public-sector pay agreements - the problem with the 'one size fits all' method.

political analyst

Why will the government not consider possible alternatives to the 'one size fits all' method of public-sector pay agreement?


Surely, people in the public and private sectors understand that a salary level that is good enough for a civil servant isn't good enough for an emergency worker (e.g. nurses) because of the nature of the job, don't they?

Paddy Cow

Everyone appreciates nurses and how hard they work but if they get a raise, another sector will pop up. The only way to fund this is to increase taxes. We already pay so many taxes and not just in the pay slip. The government have added on all sorts of stealth taxes. My electricity bill is 50% electricity usage and 50% charges, with VAT added on top of them! We have a serious pension crisis looming.

There simply isn't enough money to give everyone what they want. People empathise with nurses but they have bills to pay. The private sector pays for the public sector and the middle classes are already at breaking point. It's all well and good saying pay them more but where is that money going to come from?

paw patrol

political analyst wrote: »

Why will the government not consider possible alternatives to the 'one size fits all' method of public-sector pay agreement?

?

you make a valid point but I'd imagine the government would run into issue with the unions if they tried this.

Unions love to have everybody on the same cash cos it binds the workers together in an US Versus them mentality against "de suits"
If some of the workers were happy with the lot , it would create a situation where the unions wouldn't have much power to call a strike and/or bully the government.

Also some workers mightn't like this cos it may lead to better civil servants (in the broadest sense) earning better pay and the slackers and job for life folk could end up being paid less.

cool lads we'll take it under advisement thanks for yr expertise x

political analyst

paw patrol wrote: »

you make a valid point but I'd imagine the government would run into issue with the unions if they tried this.

Unions love to have everybody on the same cash cos it binds the workers together in an US Versus them mentality against "de suits"
If some of the workers were happy with the lot , it would create a situation where the unions wouldn't have much power to call a strike and/or bully the government.

Also some workers mightn't like this cos it may lead to better civil servants (in the broadest sense) earning better pay and the slackers and job for life folk could end up being paid less.

Then why don't they appeal directly to ordinary civil servants and other administrative workers to accept that emergency workers' pay is a special case? Then those workers might tell their union leaders to make an exception for emergency workers.

Victor

political analyst wrote: »

emergency worker (e.g. nurses)

Are nurses emergency workers? Most nurses deal with the same type of situation day-in, day-out in a controlled setting.

astrofool

Victor wrote: »

Are nurses emergency workers? Most nurses deal with the same type of situation day-in, day-out in a controlled setting.

I'd imagine they meant "front line" worker, i.e. working directly with the public and very visible (so they get the praise when things go right and blame when something goes wrong, even if there's a very good admin behind them keeping everything running smoothly).

TCM

Victor wrote:

Are nurses emergency workers? Most nurses deal with the same type of situation day-in, day-out in a controlled setting.

Obviously you don't know much about A/E.

professore

TCM wrote: »

Obviously you don't know much about A/E.

Most nurses don't work in A & E.

The Rape of Lucretia

political analyst wrote: »

Why will the government not consider possible alternatives to the 'one size fits all' method of public-sector pay agreement?


Surely, people in the public and private sectors understand that a salary level that is good enough for a civil servant isn't good enough for an emergency worker (e.g. nurses) because of the nature of the job, don't they?

The govt would love to. Its the unions wouldnt have it.

political analyst

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

The govt would love to. Its the unions wouldnt have it.

As I said in the fifth post on this thread .....

Then why don't they appeal directly to ordinary civil servants and other administrative workers to accept that emergency workers' pay is a special case? Then those workers might tell their union leaders to make an exception for emergency workers.

Jolly Red Giant

Paddy Cow wrote: »

There simply isn't enough money to give everyone what they want.

Unless you are a well connected tax exile - or - a vulture fund welcomed with open arms - or - a multinational using the country as a tax haven - or - a dodgy property developer who is bailed out when your gambling antics go belly-up - or - well you get the picture :rolleyes:

political analyst

If junior civil servants were asked if emergency services workers' pay should be considered a special case, they'd probably say Yes and then they could tell the leadership of their union that they don't want to make a pay claim to compete.