Plans announced by Chancellor Alistair Darling to limit public-sector pay rises to 1% and cap state pension contributions has angered union leaders.
Says TUC general secretary Brendan Barber: “A centralised pay cap on public-sector staff is unfair, inefficient and will damage long-established independent review systems that already take affordability into account.
“Public-sector workers, many of whom are low paid, should not have to pay the price for a crash they did nothing to cause.”
Unison General Secretary Dave Prentis (pictured) says his members feel “betrayed”, and that “it is just not on to make nurses, social workers, dinner ladies, cleaners and hospital porters pay the price for the folly of the bankers”.
He adds: “The people who earn most should pay the most. Instead, we have the disgraceful spectacle of rich bankers threatening to leave the country if they don’t get their massive bonuses.”
Mr Darling said that teachers, local government and health workers and civil servants must make a greater contribution to pensions, with those earning over £100,000 paying more.
Copyright © Press Association 2009
Do you agree with Mr Prentis? Your comments (terms and conditions apply):
“I certainly do not agree with the govt’s proposal to cap public sector pay to 1% when they are already underpaid” – Name and address withheld
