Army captain jailed
ARMY officer Captain Jonathan Price, 32, has been jailed for 18 months after being convicted of the manslaughter of 21-year-old Ranger Michael Maguire, left, who was shot during a training exercise in May 2012. AROUND one million public sector workers will benefit from the biggest pay rise in almost 10 years, including 2.9% for the armed forces, 2.75% for prison officers and 3.5% for teachers, the Government has announced.
The move confirms last year’s scrapping of the 1% pay cap and follows campaigns by unions for higher wage rises.
The Government said the increases were affordable within its spending plans.
Ministers said members of the armed forces will receive an increase of 2.9% (2% consolidated, 0.9% non-consolidated), with yesterday’s award worth £680 in pay to an average soldier, plus a one-off payment of £300.
The teachers’ award means the main pay range will increase by 3.5% (2% to upper pay range and 1.5% to leadership). Schools will determine how it is set.
All prison officers will get at least a 2.75% (2% consolidated, 0.75% non-consolidated) increase this year, with many getting higher awards.
A police award of 2% will mean average pay for a constable will now be more than £38,600 a year.
A pay increase of at least 2% will be given to junior doctors, specialist doctors, GPs and dentists. Consultants will also get a pay rise of at least £1,150.
Ministers said teachers are in line for a pay rise of up to £1,366 a year.
Education Secretary Damian Hinds said there will be an investment of £508 million to fully fund the deal.
He said: “There are no great schools without great teachers and I want to us to recruit and retain brilliant teachers who are fairly rewarded for the vital work they do.”
In cash terms, teachers could receive a boost of between £1,184 and £1,366 to their salary, while salaries for new teachers will increase by between £802 and £1,003.
Prospect union deputy general secretary Garry Graham said: “Today’s pay deals for the armed forces, prison workers and teachers are welcome but confirm what we have long suspected, this Government have put civil servants firmly at the back of the queue on public sector pay.
“Instead of playing cynical divide-andrule games with overworked and underpaid public sector workers, the Government should be committing to above-inflation pay rises for all public servants, with no group left behind.”
Other unions and opposition parties raised concerns that the pay awards were not fully funded, warning of fresh cuts to services and jobs.
Education unions said the “penny had dropped” about the teacher recruitment crisis, but added that schools were expected to fund 1% of the cost of the teachers’ wage rise from “severely strained” budgets.
Labour said the Government plan “shamefully takes money away” from already under-funded budgets of schools, hospitals, prisons, police services and armed forces for what amounted to a real terms pay cut.