To think that a pay freeze is actually a pay cut?

[AndyWarholsBanana]

OK so technically it isn't but in real terms it is. DH and I are both nurses and haven't had a pay rise for 3 years and now Jeremy Cunt has announced that he's backtracking on awarding 1% this year to all nurses who aren't at the top of their incremental scale.
In the period since we last had a pay rise, our fuel bills have gone up about 30%, train fares have gone up about 15%, council tax has gone up, DS2's nursery fees went up 20% etc etc.
We have gone from feeling reasonably comfortable financially to really struggling.
I work in mental health and the cuts have been really savage. As well as making me angry for patients, my job has become more difficult as I'm struggling to manage a huge caseload. So I'm working harder than I've ever done for effectively less money.
I'm so fucking angry.

[justtoomessy]

Same here its shit isn't it. I work as a nurse in A and E the cuts have had a massive affect on workload etc. So I now work in a far more stressful department, work much harder, get abused more (due to workload/number of patients) for less money effectively.

I know I'm lucky in that I have a job but I trained hard for it and have to keep on training, going on courses in my own time for what?!?!? No thanks certainly not from the government and I'm now having to really watch the money. I was better off 20 years ago than I am now!

[NotSuchASmugMarriedNow]

Yes a pay freeze is a pay cut. And the higher the rate of inflation is, the bigger that makes the pay cut.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

NHS here too.
I heard something on the Radio this morning - and talk of strikes.
Then DH said the pension contributions will increase if we do get a pay rise (and most likely will go up anyway)

That's what the last strikes were about .

[gordyslovesheep]

public sector here - also a pay freeze for 6 years then 1% this year - it's horrible and it is more of a struggle than ever

[ReallyTired]

I suppose the arguement is most people in the private sector have not had pay rises either. A lot of people in the private sector have had pay cuts. I had a pay cut while working in local govement. Prehaps pay rises in the public sector should be linked to rise in earnings rather than inflation.

I think that the savage cuts to front line staff is a different issue. Believe it or not I do have sympathy with you.

[Binkybix]

I heard this this morning, and agree that it's shit when cost of living is rising quicker than wages. Do you keep incremental moves up the scale? Losing those has been the worst thing for me. Plus the pay freeze and the increased pension contributions obviously.

[MaidOfStars]

Are you still getting yearly incremental rises through your pay band?

Just asking from interest. I work on a similar scheme (universities) and I just can't get annoyed about lack of inflationary rises when I am moving up a pay scale every year anyway. I know in principle I should be annoyed - pay scale increases are linked to increased experience and responsibility while inflationary rises should be a given - but I'm not. Feel traitorous.

[Filimou]

Public sector here too, pay frozen here for three years. I can appreciate that the private sector havent had pay rises either, but we have also been made to take 5 days a year unpaid leave (they pro rata it from our salaries), our pension contributions have gone up, and other contributions towards parking/professional fees etc have all been increased, so even though we have not had a pay cut per se our bottom line at the end of every month is getting lower year on year.

[KonkeyDong]

YABU, you do get incremental salary rises and your 1%. It's not much but it's more than areas of the private sector.

Former NHS, now private sector and haven't had any pay increases in 4years Wishes I was back in the public sector

[mercibucket]

we are striking over our pay. those at the top dont have a pay freeze!

[Filimou]

Our incremental rises have also been frozen, so we havent had them. That is a decision that the L.A I work for and the union have taken/agreed to as a cost cutting measure.

[Binkybix]

I agree it's also crappy for people in private sector.

[Filimou]

Its just crap all round, I know I can get worked up about my circs because I know them, but surely its more of an issue all round (public and private) of the cost of living rocketing while salaries are going down/freezing.

[KonkeyDong]

Don't forget those in the NHS also have v generous holiday allocations - a friend has 33 days leave a year plus bank holidays.

Makes a mockery of my 20 days and 8 bank holidays.

[Flossiechops]

Konkeydong your wrong, the proposals are that those who are still going through the increments don't get the 1% only those at the top who are no longer getting a yearly increment. I'm a Community Matron and have just been promoted having spent 4 yrs at the top of my band with no pay increase. I would prefer no pay rise to 1 % - it would make no difference to my standard of living but will cost millions in to pay out. I totally get that other sectors haven't had a pay rise and find this proposal insulting.

[DipMeInChocolate]

I wish I was in public sector though. There are so many more bonuses than my private sector, no pay rise, 20 days holiday, no flexi working, stat mat pay job.

[Flossiechops]

The holidays are definitely generous - to be honest I struggle to use up all of my annual leave each year. Out of interest konkey why did you leave? Was it a choice?

[KonkeyDong]

Ditto Dipme

[KonkeyDong]

Nope, my post vanished when the PCTs started being reorganised. I jumped before I was pushed.

[ReallyTired]

I don't think that four year pay freeze is acceptable, but I feel that public sector should rise at average rate of earnings. We need a fair formula for deciding public sector pay increases. When the economy picks up then the public sector should enjoy above inflation pay increases.

[donttrythisathome]

Of course it is! Even the govt don't deny that!

[themaltesefalcon]

No. It isn't actually a pay cut.

[CerealMom]

I really really feel for nurses and other health care professionals.

• You do your degree and pay through the nose for it.
  
• You have a very stressful job. My health/life is literally in your hands.
  
• You have a teeny tiny salary which doesn't reflect your professional capacity with no hope of mega bucks.
  
  I take my hat off to you all. I am very grateful you choose your careers.
  
  Why oh why doesn't the government offer health degrees (medicine, dentistry, physio, radiography etc...) for free? Or at least some kind of taper i.e. if you work for so many years for the NHS your degree debt is wiped.

[pointythings]

Average rate of earnings would have been nice under the previous government, where one year we got 0.5% while the private sector was booming, interest rates were almost 6% and inflation was rising.

It hasn't got better since, all politicians are the same. And are the MPs still getting their 11%?

[DidoTheDodo]

Not for profit sector here and no pay rise at all for 6 years. And none in the foreseeable future either. It's very hard.