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Unions threaten action over pay | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Unions are threatening industrial action over below-inflation pay rises for public sector workers. | |
Amicus says it is "assessing the mood" of members before deciding on a ballot. The Royal College of Nursing said its members feel "angry and let down". | |
The government says the deal is fair to staff and good for the economy. | |
Nurses will get a 1.9% rise but GPs will get none at all. Some armed forces personnel will get 9.2%, but senior civil servants will receive just 1.4%. | |
Some unions are also angry at the decision to bring in increases in two stages. | |
'Fair settlement' | 'Fair settlement' |
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%. | |
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% |
On Thursday, Chancellor Gordon Brown told MPs he had accepted the public sector pay review body's recommendations that awards are kept within the government's 2% inflation target. | |
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 will save about £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 will save about £200m. |
Nurses will get 1.5% in April and 1% in November, which works out at about 1.9% over the year. | Nurses will get 1.5% in April and 1% in November, which works out at about 1.9% over the year. |
Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said she appreciated nurses would be "disappointed" by the staggered increases but said their rise would amount to 4.4% once annual progression increases were included. | Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said she appreciated nurses would be "disappointed" by the staggered increases but said their rise would amount to 4.4% once annual progression increases were included. |
Other increases announced include: Junior doctors 3%; dentists 2%; senior military 2%; senior civil service 1.4%; 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%; judiciary 2.4%; prison officers in England and Wales 2.5% and prison officers in Northern Ireland 2%. |
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 |
Chief Secretary of the Treasury Stephen Timms said the deal was "fair to staff as well as being right for the economy". | |
"I hope that when staff look at the details of this settlement and see what it actually means in terms of their pay next year they will recognise that it is a fair settlement," he told BBC Two's Newsnight. | |
Defence secretary Des Browne said he was "delighted" to announce the armed forces will get the public sector's largest rise. | Defence secretary Des Browne said he was "delighted" to announce the armed forces will get the public sector's largest rise. |
The 13,000 lowest-paid will get an extra 9.2% - equivalent to £100 a month. | The 13,000 lowest-paid will get an extra 9.2% - equivalent to £100 a month. |
Another 6,000 will get a rise of 6.2%, senior officers will get 2% and the rest, 3.3%. | Another 6,000 will get a rise of 6.2%, senior officers will get 2% and the rest, 3.3%. |
But former infantry soldier Steve McLaughlin said it was not enough and soldiers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan should earn as much as a fireman, paramedic or policeman. | But former infantry soldier Steve McLaughlin said it was not enough and soldiers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan should earn as much as a fireman, paramedic or policeman. |