5.5% public sector pay increase

[CleverCloggsClaire]

Hello - it is being reported today that the 'independent' pay review bodies for both teaching and NHS (agenda for change contracts) have finalised their reports and are recommending pay increases of 5.5% - what do people think? Fair amount? Will it happen?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4ng05555y4o

Fair amount in terms of what's needed to recruit, motivate and retain?

Well it's a start.

Whether it will be paid in full as when it's due is another question.

Prepare for more strikes if they're not honoured.

Teaching and healthcare salaries are still 15% and 20% respectively behind average private sector pay rises in the last 12 years and need above infkation annual rises to catch up.

I think it's the absolute bare minimum that should be awarded. More is deserved.

Yes Labour are a bit stuffed all round aren't they - promise change but then there is no money and we are all watching out pennies and not spending as they would like. It is a bit like a game of chess, and I await with interest to see what he REALLY has planned. He can only let people down and annoy people based on promises versus reality.

Specifically on public sector pay - I say focus on the NHS first, the rest are not as important (and I don't work for NHS!)

I think they normally do go with the STRB recommendations?

We were expecting this, I put 6% in my budget for September payrises. I'm surprised it's as high with the drop in inflation since that was written though.

I think working conditions are a far bigger issue for recruitment and retention, actually, and there are already some posiitve things happening in that area. Not many teachers are leaving the profession for more money.

Fair point. The physical conditions are not brilliant where I work. The tap water (which we're told is safe to drink) tastes awful. We are quite crowded but have several areas where we cannot put anything because if it's raining outside, it is also raining inside.

Will school support staff benefit?

We normally come under local government pay.

I think that one of the main unions have accepted the offered pay deal but two haven’t. I think it was the same as last year which equates to about 9% for most TAs. Depends on pay obviously.

and I know it wasn’t a percentage pay deal, but that’s roughly what it equates to.

Not usually

Erm ... without paying other public sector staff how can we educate the NHS staff of the future (and by future I mean a mere 5-10 years' time)?!

I have no skin in this game either but that's some bafflingly poor short term thinking there

Teacher here. For me it definitely the workload and conditions. Something needs to.be done to retain staff

100% this..
IF it is awarded.. it will take our Trust months to sort it out and for it to hit the actual pay packet. Then they'll end up putting the car parking prices up and making us pay more to park at work, so we don't actually see most of it

Sounds about right. Above the current rate of inflation which recognises the need to start addressing the below inflation increases they've had for many years. This needs to be the first step in a long term pay restitution plan and alongside improvements to conditions if its going g to work to attract and retain teachers and NHS staff.

Labour paying off their vested interests - public sector and unions.

Haven’t they been given a 22% pay rise over two years ?

- it is being reported today that the 'independent' pay review bodies for both teaching and NHS (agenda for change contracts) have finalised their reports

The reports have been ready for ages and .lst years would have been accepted or not by now The previous government had them and didn't release or act on them.

Glad to hear a deal is on the table. Wonder if local government workers pay will be looked at too? It's extremely hard to recruit and retain , for example, social workers.

Teachers and support staff both work in the same building but have very different contracts and conditions; the schoolteachers' pay and conditions document / burgundy book / teachers' standards / induction / performance management etc. don't apply to or affect teaching assistants or admin staff either.

23% for the NHS in the last 10 years... not quite the same

No, the recent 22% mentioned is for junior doctors only and the deal includes back pay and pending pay rises, not an instant 22% rise. See BBC news for details - don't have time to link.

The pay rise is needed, in real terms it still doesn't put them back on what they have lost over the years.

However, it's not just salary, it's work load as the cuts have meant recruitment freezes etc this means that you have around 65% of the staff you need to tdo the role

Meaning the staff are in daily burn out