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| Unions threaten action over pay | Unions threaten action over pay |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Unions are threatening industrial action over below-inflation pay rises for public sector workers. | 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". | 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. | 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%. | 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%. |
| A 2.5% increase for health staff will be paid in two stages in April and November, while rises for servicemen and women will be paid "without delay". | |
| It is a real let down for Britain's nurses and other health professionals who really do deserve better Karen JenningsUnison class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=5709&edition=1">Send us your experiences | |
| 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%. |
| The union's 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." | |
| She added: "We are all paying more for our household bills and this increase will be eaten up by inflation and leave many nurses struggling. We will be consulting widely with our members." | |
| 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%Prison officers in Northern Ireland 2% | |
| 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. | 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. |
| Chief Secretary of the Treasury Stephen Timms said the wider 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. | "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. |