Public sector pay rises v private sector.

[Katypp]

We hear endlessly on MN that public sector workers are underpaid, overworked and do not have the advantages workers in the private sector have. All nonsense of course, as is the rhetoric about being able to earn much more for the same job in the private sector.
Teachers are being balloted about rejecting a 2.8% pay increase the year after they received a 5.5% increase.
I thought it woukd be interesting to try and get an idea of the reality of the public v private sector pay debate.
I'll start.
Work for a FTSE 100 company. This year we are getting 2%, last year was 1.5%.
I am paid just under £33k for a professional, skilled job, albeit in a generally low-paid sector. So less than a bin driver apparently.
There is no direct comparison to my job in the public sector, but the nearest equivalent was advertised at £38-£42k a couple of years ago.

It’s the pension really isn’t it and also your ambition. While most aren’t gonna make it to the top there is basically no limit on what you can earn in private sector other than your own limitations and - don’t underestimate this one, many many do - luck.

And no sponsored Christmas dinners or anything else for that matter.

Just like the private sector then.

Yes, but that doesn't suit people's narrative. Schools can't pay the increase without cutting somewhere. It needs to be extra money, but it often isn't, or is only a portion of what must be found.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/55089900.amp

this is a good article

Teacher pay rises are also unfunded which means that any rise will have to come out of an already stretched-to-the limit budget. In fact, at my school, the budget does not go anywhere near covering what we already have to fund (and by have to I mean the absolute basics: teachers for each class and TAs who are all now deployed to provide 1-2-1 support for our most vulnerable children with complex additional needs…y’know, the absolute basics)

There is nothing left to cut so god knows what’s going to happen. Some schools will simply not be able to action any pay rises anyway as they will just bankrupt themselves. Or cut staff further to fund them. It’s appalling. And if there are strikes about pay in the Autumn, which rumbles are already starting about, please remember that it’s not anything to do with greedy teachers wanting more. It’s to do with properly funding schools in the first place (which we’re not allowed to strike about 🙄)

As others have said, huge variability between different public sector organisations, job roles and grade position.

I have moved from private sector to local government, same role but switched from the poacher to gamekeeper side.

Neutral: had/have flexible working arrangements in both sectors. Pension same.

Pros: 15 minute commute on office days and not away overnight Mon to Friday. Don’t have to suck up to idiot/rude clients anymore. No more fiddling timesheets so the boss can claw back ££ after under-valuing to get the contracts.

Cons: Elected members. Base salary c. £20k lower. No bonuses. Wage freeze for c 8 years so the 2-3% coming in now still representing loss on my start salary value. People telling me I’m lazy and pointless, because y’know, councils.

Do bin lorry drivers get paid more than £33k - Really?!

Had a choice between a private job and public job. Chose private - more scope/negotiations around pay/pension. More flexibility. More fun - paid for company outings/Christmas parties etc. Worked in public for 12 years and for the first couple of years it was definitely better than private but not anymore! It’s definitely telling that I’m still being contacted 7 years down the line about public sector roles as they are struggling to recruit!

Google tells me most aren't but up to 37k for experienced drivers.

Which I don't have a problem with.

I’m public sector. Pay rises aren’t great really and always delayed. However, I get 6 months full sick pay and 6 months half pay, paid dependants leave, paid compassionate leave, reduced hours if unwell, job security, pension.

WTAF. Just say no!

Over 6 million people work in the public sector so sweeping statements don’t really work. In the same way you work in a lower paid industry, there’s parts with poor T&Cs and better parts.

I work in a skilled profession in the public sector and know I could earn more if I shifted to private, I’ve been approached numerous times. I don’t get paid overtime or rises based on length of service, there’s no parking/refreshments/etc and we’re permanently under resourced. I stay for the generous annual leave and maternity leave, flexible working, pension and job satisfaction.

HGV drivers earn between 30 and 36k. Bin lorry drivers getting around the middle of this seems correct to me.

It's a skilled job, operating dangerous and heavy machinery on public roads.

Do you think they are paid too much or too little?

Presumably prom's cancelled then?

Why would any teacher actually comply with this nonsense?

I do the same role in the public and private sector. The private sector is more realistic about the hours and workload and is a nicer environment. The public sector pays me more per hour, with better pension.

There us such a variety of jobs, few people get to really compare.

To be clear- the reason any teachers will go on strike is not because of the amount of the pay rise- it’s because it is unfunded which means it has to come out of budgets that are already non- existent. That is not acceptable. Also when you consider how many hours teachers actually work- the pay is not good.

We didn’t get a pay rise for 10 years and if you work out the hourly rate for the outrageous number of hours we do, it’s well below minimum wage. Teachers need to be paid a LOT better.

Pension is better in the private sector, though now largely based on a career average (which is indexed). If you take account of pensions then overall remuneration at senior and exec level looks quite rewarding, though no bonus co cars etc. So swings and roundabouts really.

You mean pension is better in the public sector I assume?

Well we have in year awards and they can be quite significant

I’ve been really fortunate and in 5 years my CS pay has increased 50% on same grade but that’s due to combination of wholesale pay and benefit changes (HMRC) and moving to DHSC where something similar happened

Yes sorry, indeed I do.

A big part of the problem is many have only worked in one sector as opposed to both and many have only ever worked in a particular industry so how can you compare?

The ballot is against the fact it is UNFUNDED.

As in, there is no additional money being provided for the 2.8%. Schools are expected to find this from... somewhere...?

He must be either SLT or Middle leadership and with an excellent TLR like head of a big department - so he will have a pretty huge and difficult job.

The reason we need to pay rise is because we have absolutely no teachers. I'm not sure what people are expecting - we are recieving parental complaints because their child cannot understand the teachers accent because they are from either India, Africa or Jamaica but yet here you're saying teaching is a wonderful job with decent pay. We don't have any teachers so we need to pay better.

I'm seriously worried for my child's future because the teaching crisis is horrendous.