Why public sector workers need a pay rise - GMB
The GMB's National Secretary for Public Services Rehana Azam makes the case to the PM & the Chancellor for a pay rise for the five million ‘just about managing’ public sector workers to be announced in today's Budget.
How much are public services worth?
For me, it’s not a difficult question. Most people would agree that our schools, hospitals and other services are invaluable. But although the Government came to power promising to cut the deficit not the NHS, public sector workers are now seven years into a decade of gruelling real-terms pay cuts.
It’s a matter of basic fairness that teaching assistants, 999 call handlers and hospital porters shouldn’t be paying for the banking sector’s mistakes a decade on from the financial crash.
But GMB wanted to make sure that we’d made a detailed case to the Government on behalf of our members for ending the 1% cap on public sector pay.
We found that the pay cap is directly contributing to the recruitment and retention crisis that is driving up costs and reducing the quality of services for everyone.
That the squeeze on public sector wages is even worse than under Margaret Thatcher and John Major, when our public services were brought to their knees.
And that if the cap isn’t lifted, the average full-time public sector worker will lose a total of £4,073 in real-wages by 2020 – of which £1,426 is due to the extra inflation triggered by Brexit alone.
It’s clear that the pay cap is hurting, but it isn’t working.
The public agree: 75% support an above-inflation pay rise this year. Ending the public sector pay pinch is supported in every region, and even by a clear majority of Conservative voters.
And as our report makes clear, ending the pay cap is both practical and affordable – and the price for not doing so will be too high for our public services to bear.
I don’t often agree with Theresa May, but she got it right when she said:
‘Our economy should work for everyone, but if your pay has stagnated for several years in a row and ¬fixed items of spending keep going up, it doesn’t feel like it’s working for you.’
Spot on. But what about five million ‘just about managing’ public sector workers?
Theresa May and Philip Hammond have a chance to live up to their fine words and distance themselves from the failed policies of their predecessors. They should take it with both hands.
Our members need real pay rises. That’s why GMB is making the case today in Westminster ahead of the Budget, and it is why we will not rest until we have secured the decent pay deals our members need and deserve.
You can see the report and support the campaign by signing the petition here.
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