Public Sector Pay Restraint Ending?

Tromking

As part of the general loosening of the purse strings, it's good to see that ending the now counter productive public sector pay restraint is seemingly now a political necessity.
People like me have been saying for years that to reduce pay and conditions in the PS to a level where the core function cannot carried out is unsustainable.
The fall out from the GE is having an effect.

http://news.sky.com/story/warning-over-unsustainable-nhs-staff-1-pay-cap-10928299

sevenhills

I saw Hunt on TV the other day, he too was just talking about nurses, maybe the whole NHS.
But what about local authorities?

Conrad

A nurse prospective client showed me his P60 yesterday, just over £50k. This includes agency hours he does in the same Hospital at the end of his normal shift.


Bloke in my office DIL is a senior nurse aged 32 and she earns over £50k with modest overtime.


Just wanted to throw this into the pot.

Tromking

Conrad wrote: »

A nurse prospective client showed me his P60 yesterday, just over £50k. This includes agency hours he does in the same Hospital at the end of his normal shift.


Bloke in my office DIL is a senior nurse aged 32 and she earns over £50k with modest overtime.


Just wanted to throw this into the pot.

You're right to flag this up.
Such is the dearth of staff in some frontline public sector roles the cost to the taxpayer in expensive overtime payments is embarrassing. Much rather we had the correct number of staff, earning a decent wage and enjoying a good work life balance in a calm and relatively stress free working environment.

RichardD1970

Conrad wrote: »

A nurse prospective client showed me his P60 yesterday, just over £50k. This includes agency hours he does in the same Hospital at the end of his normal shift.


Bloke in my office DIL is a senior nurse aged 32 and she earns over £50k with modest overtime.


Just wanted to throw this into the pot.

I work in an unskilled factory job.

For straight days, doing a 37hr week, with no overtime, I earn just around £34,500.

For 3 shifts (36hrs pw) I will earn about £42,000 pa.

Overtime is abundant and I could easily earn over £50,000, if I wanted to work the hours.

Yes, I realise I am quite lucky, but I do think a nurse does a much more vital and high stress job and don't begrudge them being paid generously for it.

chucknorris

RichardD1970 wrote: »

I work in an unskilled factory job.

For straight days, doing a 37hr week, with no overtime, I earn just around £34,500.

For 3 shifts (36hrs pw) I will earn about £42,000 pa.

Overtime is abundant and I could easily earn over £50,000, if I wanted to work the hours.

Yes, I realise I am quite lucky, but I do think a nurse does a much more vital and high stress job and don't begrudge them being paid generously for it.

Have you not even seen 'Carry on Doctor', the nurses have a great time going to parties every night with doctors, its about time the tax payers money was spent more wisely. I was going to leave the above as it was, without adding this bit, but there's always one that would believe I was actually being serious.

chucknorris

Conrad wrote: »

A nurse prospective client showed me his P60 yesterday, just over £50k. This includes agency hours he does in the same Hospital at the end of his normal shift.


Bloke in my office DIL is a senior nurse aged 32 and she earns over £50k with modest overtime.


Just wanted to throw this into the pot.

I do agree with a lot of what you post, but overtime should be for buying luxury items, not normal day to day stuff. Life is short, it shouldn't be spent at work.

Fella

Tromking wrote: »

Much rather we had the correct number of staff, earning a decent wage and enjoying a good work life balance in a calm and relatively stress free working environment.

When you find a bunch of jobs like that, in either the public or private sector, in any country, give us a shout. I've been working for just over 30 years in many jobs in one of the richest countries on earth (England) & none of them remotely matched that description.

We're competing with poor countries who's citizens are prepared to work harder, for much longer, for much less.

Thrugelmir

Tromking wrote: »

As part of the general loosening of the purse strings, it's good to see that the now counter productive public sector pay restraint is seemingly now a political necessity.
People like me have been saying for years that to reduce pay and conditions in the PS to a level where the core function cannot carried out is unsustainable.
The fall out from the GE is having an effect.

Why do so many nurses prefer to do agency work ? There's where much of the problem lies. That and part time working. Nor do people aspire to the higher grades. In order to avoid the culture in the organisation. (Though there are pockets of transformation). When working nights at weekends also earns a good wedge. Who needs responsibility. Easy to sight one example. Reform won't be easy given the power of the Unions.

Andy_L

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Reform won't be easy given the power of the Unions.

Those unions that are so powerful they havn't been able to prevent the imposition of the 1% pay cap for 6 years you mean?

Thrugelmir

Andy_L wrote: »

Those unions that are so powerful they havn't been able to prevent the imposition of the 1% pay cap for 6 years you mean?

Powerful enough hinder the ability to innovate and change with any speed. Many seem stuck in a bygone age. The world has moved on.