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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Public sector pay 'slap in face' | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Chancellor Gordon Brown has told MPs that nurses and other public sector workers will get below inflation pay awards, sparking anger from unions. | Chancellor Gordon Brown has told MPs that nurses and other public sector workers will get below inflation pay awards, sparking anger from unions. |
| Mr Brown said he had accepted pay review body recommendations that awards be kept within the government's 2% inflation target. | Mr Brown said he had accepted pay review body recommendations that awards be kept within the government's 2% inflation target. |
| The Transport and General Workers Union said it was a "slap in the face" for public sector workers. | The Transport and General Workers Union said it was a "slap in the face" for public sector workers. |
| Medical staff, senior civil servants and judges are among those affected. | Medical staff, senior civil servants and judges are among those affected. |
| The pay awards would be implemented in two stages from April 1, although the armed forces pay will be in full, said Mr Brown. | |
| "The overall awards come within the inflation target at 1.9% demonstrating our total determination to maintain discipline and stability and continue with an 11th year of sustained economic growth." | "The overall awards come within the inflation target at 1.9% demonstrating our total determination to maintain discipline and stability and continue with an 11th year of sustained economic growth." |
| 'Pay cut' | 'Pay cut' |
| TGWU national officer Peter Allensen said: "With the Retail Price Index at over 4% and the real cost of living higher than that, to limit pay rises to below 2% amounts to a slap in the face for public sector workers. | TGWU national officer Peter Allensen said: "With the Retail Price Index at over 4% and the real cost of living higher than that, to limit pay rises to below 2% amounts to a slap in the face for public sector workers. |
| "Our members are being hit by a double whammy of below real inflation pay rises plus an increasing workload as the change agenda is rushed through with job cuts, increased pressure, poor consultation and falling morale. | "Our members are being hit by a double whammy of below real inflation pay rises plus an increasing workload as the change agenda is rushed through with job cuts, increased pressure, poor consultation and falling morale. |
| "Increasing productivity seems to count for nothing judging by this announcement." | "Increasing productivity seems to count for nothing judging by this announcement." |
| According to a poll commissioned by the Royal College of Nursing, nearly two-thirds of nurses would be willing to take industrial action if they receive an unsatisfactory pay deal this year. | According to a poll commissioned by the Royal College of Nursing, nearly two-thirds of nurses would be willing to take industrial action if they receive an unsatisfactory pay deal this year. |
| Commenting on the survey, RCN General Secretary, Dr Peter Carter, said: "Ministers should be under no illusions - though industrial action is never a course of action we would take lightly, the RCN is not in the business of accepting a pay cut for our members. | Commenting on the survey, RCN General Secretary, Dr Peter Carter, said: "Ministers should be under no illusions - though industrial action is never a course of action we would take lightly, the RCN is not in the business of accepting a pay cut for our members. |
| "Nurses deserve pay justice, not a pay cut." | "Nurses deserve pay justice, not a pay cut." |
| The RCN said the government's offer of 1.5% amounted to a real terms pay cut for the average nurse. | The RCN said the government's offer of 1.5% amounted to a real terms pay cut for the average nurse. |