Biggest public-sector pay rise in decade a ‘PR stunt’, claim critics
Glibness of Treasury Minister
THE GOVERNMENT has been accused of a “PR stunt” after announcing that a million publicsector workers are to get the biggest pay rise in almost a decade.
Ministers hailed rises of 2.9 per cent for the Armed Forces, 2.75 per cent for prison officers and 3.5 per cent for teachers, in confirmation that the lengthy cap on pay for millions of public-sector workers was over.
But unions and opposition parties warned of job losses and cuts to services to pay for the increases, complaining they were not being fully funded by the Treasury.
Ministers said members of the Armed Forces will receive an increase of 2.9 per cent, 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 per cent. Schools will determine how it is set. All prison officers will get at least a 2.75 per cent increase this year, with many getting higher awards.
A police award of two per cent will mean average pay for a constable will now be more than £38,600 a year.
A pay increase of at least two per cent 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.
Peter Dowd, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said the announcement was a “mendacious PR stunt”, adding: “It shamefully takes money away from our schools, hospitals, prisons, police services and Armed Forces.”
Unison’s assistant general secretary Christina McAnea said: “Behind the good news headlines, the Government is simply robbing Peter to pay Paul. Without extra money from the Treasury to fund these pay increases, services and jobs somewhere will have to be cut.”
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.
“Today we are announcing a fully funded pay rise of up to 3.5 per cent – or between £800 and £1,366 – for classroom teachers on the main pay range, two per cent for those on the upper pay range and 1.5 per cent for those in leadership positions.
“This will mean that teaching continues to be a competitively rewarded career, and I will continue to work with the profession, Ofsted and the unions on issues like excessive workload, professional development and flexible working, to make sure teaching remains an attractive, fulfilling profession.”
Schools will continue to determine how their staff are paid, but the increases will be funded with a new teachers’ pay grant, worth £187 million in 2018/19 and £321 million in 2019/20 from the existing Department for Education budget, paid to all schools on top of their core budgets from the National Funding Formula, said the Government. 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: “The Government have put civil servants firmly at the back of the queue on public-sector pay.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said the pay rises for doctors and dentists recognised their “value and dedication”.
The Government is simply robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Unison’s assistant general secretary Christina McAnea.
THE GLIBNESS of Treasury chief secretary Elizabeth Truss over public-sector pay neither did herself nor the Government any favours. Though it is welcome that an additional one million workers are to receive their biggest salary increase in 10 years as austerity restrictions are finally eased, the announcement should be subject to the type of scrutiny that the Minister clearly resented when she was compelled to give a statement to MPs.
Leaked to the media on the eve of Parliament’s summer recess, its mishandling smacked of a botched attempt by the Treasury to deflect attention away from Brexit rather than recognising the endeavour of teachers, police officers, prison staff and members of the military. They, frankly, deserve better than the cack-handedness of the insincere Ms Truss who was irritated by her inquisition.
Formal announcements should be made annually – these are effectively employees of the State – rather than at a time to best suit the political needs of Ministers. If this change of strategy is permanent, and not a one-off to buy time, the Government needs to say so. Yet the Minister’s coyness on the funding of this pay increase was also revealing. Though she said an extra £500m will be made available to fund the award to teachers, this money will be filtered down to schools – will it be enough? – while the onus is on other departments to make unspecified savings in addition to previously agreed efficiencies. Tentative economic growth only goes so far as a ‘no-deal’ Brexit looms.
Though public spending spiralled out of control because Whitehall departments were slow to reform and put proper controls in place, it was also disingenuous of Ms Truss to challenge Labour to be clearer over its spending plans when her announcement lacked the financial clarity that those concerned, and taxpayers, had a right to expect.