The
following has been supplied by the TUC:
Instead
of a fair, transparent national system, they want local or regional pay that
would mean different rates for people doing exactly the same jobs, just because
of where they live.
Here
are just five reasons why it doesn't add up:
It's unfair
Regional
pay could mean two nurses or teachers with the same skills and experience being
paid differently in two different places - even though they're doing the same
job. People should be paid based on their skills and the work they do, not where
they live. Low pay could make it harder for poorer regions to attract and keep
the skilled public sector workers they need.
Regional
pay could also work against equal pay. Great progress has been made in the
public sector in narrowing the pay gap between women and men. For instance, the
Agenda for Change system in the NHS was designed to deliver equal pay. Bringing
in local or regional pay could unravel this progress.
It's bad for the economy
Public
sector workers are already feeling the pinch from pay freezes, the VAT rise and
inflation. Regional pay would mean holding back pay for even longer in the
parts of the country that are struggling the most.
Holding
back public sector pay will take money out of public sector workers' pockets
that they would otherwise spend in local shops and businesses. Taking demand
out of the economy like this will hurt the private sector and widen the
north-south divide.
It isn't backed up by
evidence
The
government has argued that public sector pay stops the private sector growing.
In fact, there's no evidence to support this. There is an average of five
people chasing every job vacancy, and up to 30 unemployed people per vacancy in
some areas. It's the lack of demand in the economy, not the wages of nurses and
teachers that is causing the problem.
It isn't what the private
sector does
Most
big private sector employers recognise that a national system is the fairest
and most efficient way to set pay. In fact, companies like Waterstones, Greggs,
Marks and Spencer, BT and Halfords all take the same sort of approach as the
public sector: a national pay system with limited additions for London and the south east of England.
It's unpopular
According
to a recent opinion poll only 28% of voters believe the idea of extending pay
freezes for public sector workers outside of the south east and London
would be fair. As few as 17% believe that real term pay cuts for public sector
workers would help low pay regional economies. It's time that coalition MPs
listened to their constituents, heard their concerns and put a stop to these
damaging and divisive plans.
