Alastair Hatchett’s feature ‘Paying the price’ is an excellent account of the position the public sector finds itself in (July 2–15). The government and the Taxpayers’ Alliance have very successfully managed to peel the ‘kick me’ label off the bankers (yesterday’s news) and apply it firmly to the backs of public sector workers. This was a neat trick, and the media happily joined in the fun. We are about to get a very hard kicking.
We can add another urban myth to Hatchett’s list – that all public sector workers have the benefit of incremental pay points. Many of us don’t. My salary is already worth 2.5% less than when I was appointed four years ago, due to below-inflation increases and the increased contribution to my pension. It is starting to look lead-lined rather than gold-plated. And let’s get away from the word ‘freeze’, which sounds like no loss – this is a cut and it will hurt.
Since pay has already been reduced in local government this year, my salary will fall by 12.3% after the extra two-year pay cut, and this is before any more increases in pension contributions.
