► Last month the government announced a disgraceful pay remit for 2020. PCS members have kept the country running during the pandemic and they deserve a fair pay rise. On 30 June the union will step up the pay campaign by launching a petition on the government website. To find out more, join the Facebook Live event on 2 July.
(From the PCS website)
► There is a short video on PCS pay here by General Secretary Mark Serwotka. The PCS pay page on the national website is here.
An example of how civil service pay has fallen behind
I've done some calculations to show how badly working PCS members have fallen behind the cost of living. I've based it on my own grade (EO), my salary when I left (£24,000 in 2008) and my department (DWP), but it will be very similar in other grades and departments.
How DWP EO pay has fallen behind inflation 2008-2019
• In this example, EO spending power has shrunk by £5,371.36 (16.64%) in relation to inflation.
• As a comparison, I decided to check how MPs have fared over the same period.
MP's pay 2008-2019
| DWP EO max 2008 | £24,000.00 |
| DWP EO max 2019 | £26,892.00 |
| DWP EO max adjusted for inflation 2008-2019 (according to the Bank of England inflation calculator). | £32,263.36 |
| Difference | - £5,371.36 |
• In this example, EO spending power has shrunk by £5,371.36 (16.64%) in relation to inflation.
• As a comparison, I decided to check how MPs have fared over the same period.
| MP pay 2008 | £61,820.00 |
| MP pay 2019 | £79,468.00 |
| MP hypothetical pay 2019 with same % rise as EOs since 2008 | £69,276.37 |
• This shows that if MPs had been awarded the same percentage increases as a DWP EO, they would be £10,191.63 per year worse off (£195.99 per week).
• To put it the other way round, if EOs in this example had received the same percentage pay rise as MPs, they would be £3,959.37 better off (£76.14 per week).
MPs usually argue that they have no say over their pay as it is determined by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA). While this is true, it is disingenuous because the existence and remit of IPSA was created by the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009, voted for by ... MPs.
• To put it the other way round, if EOs in this example had received the same percentage pay rise as MPs, they would be £3,959.37 better off (£76.14 per week).
MPs usually argue that they have no say over their pay as it is determined by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA). While this is true, it is disingenuous because the existence and remit of IPSA was created by the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009, voted for by ... MPs.
All in this together?
No comments:
Post a Comment
We welcome comments, including constructive disagreement, that are made in a comradely manner. Abuse and spam will be deleted.