The issue of public sector pay has hit the headlines recently. There are many private sector employees who have not seen any rise in earnings for many years. Until recently construction workers earnings had flatlined for over decade as wage rates were depressed following the massive influx of migrant workers. I don’t recall the Labour Party leaping to the defence of brickies and plumbers at that time. It seems pretty clear to me that the Labour Party now cares far less abo...ut the working classes who brought the party to life.
I would love to give everyone a pay rise. But despite tight control of public spending, we continue to live beyond our means. We will still spend £45bn more than we collect in taxes this year. To put this in perspective, this is more than we spend on schools. It is simply wrong to expect future taxpayers to meet our debts. We must stop borrowing to pay the Bills of today.
I have spent my entire career in the public sector. I expected to earn less than my private sector counterparts. That has all changed. Since 2003 public sector workers have earned more than their private sector counterparts, especially when pension entitlements are taken into account.