I'm glad to see that the trade union side Executive of the National Joint Council have made suitable remarks about the 0.5% pay offer from the national employers - but the question now must be, what are we to do?
First of all we need to be a lot clearer about what we are asking for - our Head of Local Government rightly points out that local authorities have set aside sums between 1.5% and 2.5% already, but that doesn't necessarily mean that is what we are asking for.
Our claim was for an increase of at least the RPI plus something more for the low paid. Since low paid workers have a higher marginal propensity to consume, the mulitiplier effects of the fiscal stimulus of a pay rise for low paid public sector workers is commensurately enhanced.
That provides a further policy justification for responding to the offer with a proposal to put more money into the pockets of the lowest paid - perhaps by deleting some of the lowest spinal column points?
to do?
Sean
ReplyDeleteBottom loading might not affect those where bottom points have been removed but it DOES help a large group of memebrs where the bottom points have not been removed - and they need the help the most.
Removing spinal column points would also have a disastrous effect in those authorities that have implemented new pay and grading structures.
ReplyDeleteIt would completely ruin the relativity between jobs at the lower end of the pay spine.