Frank Field given role as poverty czar by Cameron - The Times

LydiaJ

marklv wrote: »

I very much doubt that they will take away pension benefits of existing public sector staff, but new entrants will certainly have different benefits.
In fairness, civil servants have good pension schemes but very poor additional fringe benefits: no private healthcare, lower life insurance than the private sector (only twice annual salary) and no car allowances. The real public sector pay excess is in the NHS and local government, not the civil service.

NHS pension scheme life insurance is also twice annual salary. I know - I've recently claimed it.

marklv

LydiaJ wrote: »

NHS pension scheme life insurance is also twice annual salary. I know - I've recently claimed it.

Most large companies offer 4 times annual salary, and the private health scheme is also a very useful benefit. A colleague of mine has a semi-broken shoulder and needs to wait 18 weeks for treatment - he is in absolute agony and needs morphine every day. He now says he will pay himself for the op, at a cost of £20k! So much for the lavish public sector benefits!

marklv

Sir_Humphrey wrote: »

There are bonuses for junior staff, but they are only worth about £200-300 after tax.

You have to realise that the civil service is a collegiate working environment. The function of government is different to that of commerce, and what constitutes good performance/productivity is different. So bonuses and the suchlike are very crude and just encourage box-ticking. What most civil servants want I suspect is stability, security and a civilised work life. Civil servants who do not want that just move to the private sector and earn more £££.

I agree, I work in the civil service too.

CLAPTON

marklv wrote: »

Most large companies offer 4 times annual salary, and the private health scheme is also a very useful benefit. A colleague of mine has a semi-broken shoulder and needs to wait 18 weeks for treatment - he is in absolute agony and needs morphine every day. He now says he will pay himself for the op, at a cost of £20k! So much for the lavish public sector benefits!

I know you said 'large compamies ' but

most people in the private sector do not get free life insurance
in any event life insurance is cheap
most people in the private sector don't get free health insurance

Sir_Humphrey

Frank Field failed before because he was too uncompromising. This is because he does have principles (even if many of them IMO are wrong-headed). This is a government of compromise and expediency.

I can't see his appointment lasting. How long until he flounces?

marklv

CLAPTON wrote: »

I know you said 'large compamies ' but

most people in the private sector do not get free life insurance
in any event life insurance is cheap
most people in the private sector don't get free health insurance

In my field, virtually all private sector employers offer free health insurance and death benefits at 4 times annual pay. I'm sure it's different for blue collar occupations, but who the f*ck cares? I am a white collar professional.

There you are again, looking only at the lowest common denominator!! :mad:

nickmason

Sir_Humphrey wrote: »

There are bonuses for junior staff, but they are only worth about £200-300 after tax.

You have to realise that the civil service is a collegiate working environment. The function of government is different to that of commerce, and what constitutes good performance/productivity is different. So bonuses and the suchlike are very crude and just encourage box-ticking. What most civil servants want I suspect is stability, security and a civilised work life. Civil servants who do not want that just move to the private sector and earn more £££.

But surely this means - given that, yes, the public sector get more stability, security, and a more civilised work life - there should be a discount in their pay? Or put the other way, those in the private sector who don't get those benefits, should get a premium?

The alternative, of course, is to make the public sector more like the private sector - paid more, but tougher conditions. I don't think that would be popular or effective - it seems that we as a country benefit from having a public sector (and voluntary sector) that sits at a different place on the pay/conditions scale than the private sector.

Obviously exceptions exist - I'm generalisng.

Exocet

I like Frank but prefer his sister Gracie.

lostinrates

marklv wrote: »

Most large companies offer 4 times annual salary, and the private health scheme is also a very useful benefit. A colleague of mine has a semi-broken shoulder and needs to wait 18 weeks for treatment - he is in absolute agony and needs morphine every day. He now says he will pay himself for the op, at a cost of £20k! So much for the lavish public sector benefits!

DH's otherwise very generous private sector package the life insurance is twice annual salary. My dad's was 8 x.

It would be interesting to see an actual statistical average.

marklv

lostinrates wrote: »

DH's otherwise very generous private sector package the life insurance is twice annual salary. My dad's was 8 x.

It would be interesting to see an actual statistical average.

It depends on the industry. I believe 4X is the average life insurance in the private sector, and sometimes 5X salary is found. 8X salary seems extraordinarily generous, but for senior people the benefits might well be higher.