Millions of public sector workers face pay freeze under Tories' £7billion cost-cuttin

[borich_planner]

I am a planner for the Council as I enjoy shaping my town and doing my bit.

Borich

 

[Dolph]

On the whole I'd say yes, but there's scores of instances where this couldn't be anywhere further than the truth. Of those that I know who have public sector jobs, they'd be on at least 70% more in the private sector. They mainly continue with this are [A] they like the stability (which this conversative move threatens) and most have some feeling of liking Pub Sec work because they're contributing to the country rather than making someone a little more rich.

If they choose this, then they need to stop complaining about the consequences of their choices

So we should be paying bankers £100,000+ salaries whilst freezing hard working public sectors workers salaries - now that's retarded.

We should be paying an appropriate rate for the needed skills for any job role to ensure the right people are in the right jobs, nothing more.

 

[RDM]

On the whole I'd say yes, but there's scores of instances where this couldn't be anywhere further than the truth. Of those that I know who have public sector jobs, they'd be on at least 70% more in the private sector. They mainly continue with this are [A] they like the stability (which this conversative move threatens) and most have some feeling of liking Pub Sec work because they're contributing to the country rather than making someone a little more rich.

70% more in the private sector? Doing what exactly?

So we should be paying bankers £100,000+ salaries whilst freezing hard working public sectors workers salaries - now that's retarded.

So we cap bankers bonuses and cut their salaries. What do you think will happen to said bankers and said banks if we do that? Do you think that possibly in the highly mobile world of banking they won't just sod off to another country where bonuses and salaries aren't capped? Now what industry do you intend to use to replace the massive tax revenues the banking sector brings in for the UK?

 

[scorza]

And the relevance is what? For the vast majority of companies if it isn't doing well then all workers tend to get pay freezes or you have job cuts. As the whole country isn't doing well why should the public sector workers expect job security and pay increases? Where exactly is all the money going to come from to fund these pay increases?

I don't dispute that cuts are necessary because of the global economic crisis. However the vast majority of the public sector workers affected by this pay freeze didn't cause the global economic crisis, the non-managers at my work who also have a pay freeze in place didn't cause the global economic crisis, you didn't cause the global economic crisis. Yet the people who did cause the global economic crisis are walking away from their mess with huge severance packages, bonuses and/or payrises.

 

[Dolph]

I don't dispute that cuts are necessary because of the global economic crisis. However the vast majority of the public sector workers affected by this pay freeze didn't cause the global economic crisis, the non-managers at my work who also have a pay freeze in place didn't cause the global economic crisis, you didn't cause the global economic crisis. Yet the people who did cause the global economic crisis are walking away from their mess with huge severance packages, bonuses and/or payrises.

Neither did the vast majority of private sector workers, in fact they are further removed from one of the two causes of the economic mess than public sector workers (because the government is by no means blameless for the current and long term economic issues facing the UK).

Why haven't we sacked Brown yet, seeing as he has been responsible for overseeing the economy and banking for the last 12 years?

 

[Le_Petit_Lapin]

And before anyone says it, if I was that bothered by the money I could get a job somewhere else, but there are other benefits (pension, flexi-time working) that, for me, outweighs the lower pay.

Yeah, but that's the thing isn't it, you might get paid less but you get a load of bonuses like you just listed thrown in, that people in the private sector just don't get or have to pay for out of their own pocket.

 

[Stevio]

If they choose this, then they need to stop complaining about the consequences of their choices

Some of us are happy in our jobs and aren't complaining.

We should be paying an appropriate rate for the needed skills for any job role to ensure the right people are in the right jobs, nothing more.

So you're saying that the civil service should increase it's pay to make sure that the right people are working for it?

 

[RDM]

I don't dispute that cuts are necessary because of the global economic crisis. However the vast majority of the public sector workers affected by this pay freeze didn't cause the global economic crisis, the non-managers at my work who also have a pay freeze in place didn't cause the global economic crisis, you didn't cause the global economic crisis.

So what? Who caused it is pretty much irrelevant, it happened and now we have to deal with it. I sure as hell didn't cause it yet I lost my job because of it. Oh for the luxury of taking a pay freeze.

Yet the people who did cause the global economic crisis are walking away from their mess with huge severance packages, bonuses and/or payrises.

But they make up an absolutely tiny part of the private sector so why use them as examples?

 

[Stevio]

Yeah, but that's the thing isn't it, you might get paid less but you get a load of bonuses like you just listed thrown in, that people in the private sector just don't get or have to pay for out of their own pocket.

Exactly, and that's why I'm not complaining about the pay. I just get annoyed when people try and tell me I earn just as much (if not more) working for the CS as I would working in the private sector.

 

[Dolph]

Some of us are happy in our jobs and aren't complaining.

Good, I share your happiness. I'm comfortable with my choices that have reduced my total earnings, but I (and you) have responsibility, whereas some people don't seem willing to accept the consequences of their choices.

So you're saying that the civil service should increase it's pay to make sure that the right people are working for it?

If it's necessary to increase the wages, then fine. First you'll have to sort out the massively inefficient structure and bring staffing levels down to a sane level, increase productivity and bring absence in line with the private sector.

 

[DanH84]

I do worry about an exodus of promising talent from the public sector but needs must.

 

[chris.tarry85]

Why haven't we sacked Brown yet, seeing as he has been responsible for overseeing the economy and banking for the last 12 years?

Probably for the same reason we didn't actually elect him in the first place!!!

 

[scorza]

So what? Who caused it is pretty much irrelevant, it happened and now we have to deal with it. I sure as hell didn't cause it yet I lost my job because of it. Oh for the luxury of taking a pay freeze.

And that's what world governments are doing - dealing with it (quite effectively if we're honest). This is my question, why aren't the people who caused the crisis suffering?

But they make up an absolutely tiny part of the private sector so why use them as examples?

The principle? At least politicians would know that announcing a pay freeze/public sector redundancies and then giving themselves a huge payrise isn't acceptable. Why is it acceptable for executives?

 

[Berserker]

Just having my rant, oh well i'm sure us public sector people can do some strikes!

Borich

And it's that sort of attitude that does my nut in. What gives you (generalisation) the right to strike over pay when thousands around you are taking pay cuts or being made redundant. Get a reality check please.

IMO, strikes over pay should be banned. There are valid reasons for a strike but this isn't one of them. If you're not being paid enough, find a job where you are. I'm sure there will be plenty of people willing to fill your position and get on with doing what they're actually there for.

/dons flame suit and awaits retribution.

 

[dangerstat]

I do worry about an exodus of promising talent from the public sector but needs must.

This is the issue in a nut shell, as it's actally what will happen, and the problem is for certain posts it takes 5+ years to recruit and train them before they're working at 100%. In the end the government will end up spending far far far more in recruiting these types back into government, it's just pointless.

 

[Dolph]

And that's what world governments are doing - dealing with it (quite effectively if we're honest). This is my question, why aren't the people who caused the crisis suffering?

The principle? At least politicians would know that announcing a pay freeze/public sector redundancies and then giving themselves a huge payrise isn't acceptable. Why is it acceptable for executives?

Because executives aren't public sector employees, and therefore have to justify their pay to different people?

Perhaps if more people exercised their rights as consumers to shop ethically, it would happen less often?

 

[Stevio]

Good, I share your happiness. I'm comfortable with my choices that have reduced my total earnings, but I (and you) have responsibility, whereas some people don't seem willing to accept the consequences of their choices.

I agree, and a lot of what the OP said annoyed me as well. I just don't like being tarred with the same brush as other just because I work in the Civil Service.

If it's necessary to increase the wages, then fine. First you'll have to sort out the massively inefficient structure and bring staffing levels down to a sane level, increase productivity and bring absence in line with the private sector.

I would love to see some of the waste gotten rid of. The amount of hoops I have to jump through to do the most basic of jobs is ridiculous.

But one thing I would like to see is more Civil Servants being hired

The amount of money being spent on outsourcing IT for a product that doesn't work is insane and could probably done at half the cost by keeping it in-house.

 

[mjt]

good, far too many public sector jobs in the UK. it's increased by over a million since Labour came to power
this is a start

 

[Duke]

Probably for the same reason we didn't actually elect him in the first place!!!

Even though you elect the party and not the leader & it was clear he would take over (to most people anyway).

 

[Dolph]

This is the issue in a nut shell, as it's actally what will happen, and the problem is for certain posts it takes 5+ years to recruit and train them before they're working at 100%. In the end the government will end up spending far far far more in recruiting these types back into government, it's just pointless.

If we weren't wasting so much money on the inefficient and unnecessary areas of the public sector, the important bits could be better funded. Unfortunately this country's obsession with getting everything 'free' and with too many people posivitely abandoning personal responsibility in favour of asking the state to nanny them, this isn't likely to happen any time soon...