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| Anger at public sector pay offer | Anger at public sector pay offer |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Unions have reacted with anger to below-inflation pay rises for health and other public sector workers. | |
| Chancellor Gordon Brown told MPs he had accepted recommendations from the pay review body that awards be kept within the government's 2% inflation target. | Chancellor Gordon Brown told MPs he had accepted recommendations from the pay review body that awards be kept within the government's 2% inflation target. |
| Nurses will get a 1.9% rise, while GPs will get no increase. The armed forces will get 3.3% and consultants 1.3%. | Nurses will get a 1.9% rise, while GPs will get no increase. The armed forces will get 3.3% and consultants 1.3%. |
| The CPI inflation measure targeted by the government is 2.7%. The old Retail Price Index currently stands at 4.2%. | The CPI inflation measure targeted by the government is 2.7%. The old Retail Price Index currently stands at 4.2%. |
| Before the detailed figures were released, Mr Brown told MPs in the Commons: "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." | Before the detailed figures were released, Mr Brown told MPs in the Commons: "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 INCREASES GPs 0%Dentists 2%Junior doctors 3%Senior military 2%Senior civil service 1.4%Judiciary 2.4%Prison officers in England and Wales 2.5% | PAY INCREASES GPs 0%Dentists 2%Junior doctors 3%Senior military 2%Senior civil service 1.4%Judiciary 2.4%Prison officers in England and Wales 2.5% |
| The Transport and General Workers Union said the pay rises were a "slap in the face" for public sector workers. | The Transport and General Workers Union said the pay rises were a "slap in the face" for public sector workers. |
| The increases are the lowest over the past 10 years, and by bringing in the pay review bodies' recommendations in two stages - part in April and the rest in November - the Treasury is saving an estimated £200m. | The increases are the lowest over the past 10 years, and by bringing in the pay review bodies' recommendations in two stages - part in April and the rest in November - the Treasury is saving an estimated £200m. |
| Nurses will get 1.5% in April and 1% in November, which works out at about 1.9% over the year - but Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said nurses would get an overall increase of 4.4% once annual progression increases were included. | Nurses will get 1.5% in April and 1% in November, which works out at about 1.9% over the year - but Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said nurses would get an overall increase of 4.4% once annual progression increases were included. |
| She said: "We appreciate that nurses will be disappointed by the staging of their award." | She said: "We appreciate that nurses will be disappointed by the staging of their award." |
| It is a real let down for Britain's nurses and other health professionals who really do deserve better Karen JenningsUnison Send us your experiences | It is a real let down for Britain's nurses and other health professionals who really do deserve better Karen JenningsUnison Send us your experiences |
| Other increases announced include: Junior doctors 3%; dentists 2%; senior military 2%; senior civil service 1.4%; the judiciary 2.4%; prison officers in England and Wales 2.5% and prison officers in Northern Ireland 2%. | Other increases announced include: Junior doctors 3%; dentists 2%; senior military 2%; senior civil service 1.4%; the judiciary 2.4%; prison officers in England and Wales 2.5% and prison officers in Northern Ireland 2%. |
| The staging of increases, as well as the level, has angered various unions, who have said they will consult their members on the offer. | The staging of increases, as well as the level, has angered various unions, who have said they will consult their members on the offer. |
| Unison, the UK's largest health union, said the rise amounted to "nothing more than a pay cut" as the retail price index was at 4.2% | Unison, the UK's largest health union, said the rise amounted to "nothing more than a pay cut" as the retail price index was at 4.2% |
| Its head of health, Karen Jennings, said: "We believe that 2.5% is low enough without reducing its value even further by paying it in two stages. | Its head of health, Karen Jennings, said: "We believe that 2.5% is low enough without reducing its value even further by paying it in two stages. |
| "That means it is worth a paltry 1.9%, and it is a real let down for Britain's nurses and other health professionals who really do deserve better." | "That means it is worth a paltry 1.9%, and it is a real let down for Britain's nurses and other health professionals who really do deserve better." |
| 'Deeply disappointed' | |
| The Royal College of Nursing's general secretary Dr Peter Carter said: "Having worked closely with the government to modernise the NHS, bring down waiting times and improve patient care, this is the thanks hard-working nurses get - a cut in pay. | The Royal College of Nursing's general secretary Dr Peter Carter said: "Having worked closely with the government to modernise the NHS, bring down waiting times and improve patient care, this is the thanks hard-working nurses get - a cut in pay. |
| If pay is feeding into inflation, the chancellor should look to City bonuses and top boardrooms for the culprits Brendan BarberTUC general secretary | |
| "This news will leave nurses feeling angry, frustrated and let down." | "This news will leave nurses feeling angry, frustrated and let down." |
| The Royal College of Midwives warned that midwives would also be angry. | The Royal College of Midwives warned that midwives would also be angry. |
| Spokesman Jon Skewes said: "Midwives carry out vital work and treating their dedication in this derisory way is frankly disgusting. We will consult our members but the college is deeply disappointed." | Spokesman Jon Skewes said: "Midwives carry out vital work and treating their dedication in this derisory way is frankly disgusting. We will consult our members but the college is deeply disappointed." |
| TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "Cutting real pay runs the risk of starting the same spiral of boom and bust in public sector pay that hindered previous governments. | TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "Cutting real pay runs the risk of starting the same spiral of boom and bust in public sector pay that hindered previous governments. |
| "If pay is feeding into inflation, the chancellor should look to City bonuses and top boardrooms for the culprits." | "If pay is feeding into inflation, the chancellor should look to City bonuses and top boardrooms for the culprits." |
| Amicus said: "We congratulate the work the pay review body has done but we are unhappy that the Treasury have imposed a staged pay deal, which makes a mockery of the review body's independence." | Amicus said: "We congratulate the work the pay review body has done but we are unhappy that the Treasury have imposed a staged pay deal, which makes a mockery of the review body's independence." |
| The rise of 3.3% for the armed forces was not enough for former infantry soldier Steve McLaughlin. | |
| "Professional soldiers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan should be earning the same wages at least as a fireman, a paramedic or a policeman because their training is equal or greater to the training those other people receive," he told BBC Five Live. | |
| "They've got frontline jobs as well, but believe you me - and I've done the job - you can't get more front line than patrolling down Basra and coming under enemy fire." |