£880k-a-year Carney incurs wrath of striking Bank staff

ANGRY Bank of England staff donned masks of governor Mark Carney to protest a ‘disgraceful’ pay offer during the institution’s first strike for 50 years.

Maintenance, security and catering staff are staging a three-day walkout over a 1pc pay rise, which would only be awarded at managers’ discretion.

Staff claim this leaves them poorer in real terms as inflation has surged to 2.6pc, far outstripping the wage rise. It is particularly embarrassing as one of the Bank’s key aims is to keep inflation at a more sustainable 2pc.

The 80 employees on strike include those who run the Old Lady’s parlours and grand offices where its top staff work. Trade union Unite has previously said many are earning less than £20,000 a year. Carney takes home £880,000 – although he has not had a raise since joining the Bank in 2013.

The picket went ahead after talks to reach a deal broke down on Monday afternoon.

A spokesman for the Bank said it was ready to resume talks with staff at any time. But Unite regional secretary Peter Kavanagh said members had ‘been left with no choice but to take industrial action’.