This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/6408061.stm

The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Public sector pay 'slap in face' Anger at public sector pay offer
(40 minutes later)
Chancellor Gordon Brown has told MPs that nurses and other public sector workers will get below inflation pay awards, sparking anger from unions. Unions have reacted with anger to below inflation pay rises for health and other public sector workers.
Mr Brown said he had accepted pay review body recommendations 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.
The Transport and General Workers Union said it was a "slap in the face" for public sector workers. Nurses and other health workers will get a 2% rise. The armed forces will get 3.3% and consultants 1.3%.
Nurses and other health workers are reportedly to get a rise of about 2%. There are two measures of inflation. The one favoured now by government is 2.7%. The old RPI measure is 4.2%.
From 1 April they will receive 1.5% and then 1% from November, according to Press Association sources. The government has made sure that key front line workers are fairly rewarded Treasury
Senior civil servants, judges and defence staff are among those affected. The Transport and General Workers Union said the Whitehall pay rises were a "slap in the face" for public sector workers.
The British Medical Association has earlier argued for a 4% pay rise for doctors. The Treasury said the increases were the lowest over the past 10 years, and that by staging the awards - in April and in November - it was saving over £200m per year, it said.
The pay awards would be implemented in two stages from April 1, although the armed forces pay will be in full, said Mr Brown. Announcing that the armed forces were to receive the highest award of 3.3%, the Treasury said: "The government has made sure that key front line workers are fairly rewarded."
"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 Treasury claimed "the headline award for nurses 2.5% (1.5% in April and a further 1% in November) when combined with annual progression increases, means that nurse will receive an increase of 4.4% over the coming year with an increase of 4% from April".
Recruitment
The Treasury said other increases are: 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%.
Mr Brown had told MP: "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."
Various Whitehall departments, including the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence, are expected to announce pay settlements at 1530 GMT on Thursday. A recent poll commissioned by the Royal College of Nursing suggested nearly two-thirds of nurses would be willing to take industrial action if they receive an unsatisfactory pay deal this year.
Arecent poll commissioned by the Royal College of Nursing suggested 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 last week, 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 kast week, 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." Teachers, local government workers, firefighters and the police are not covered by these awards.