It seems as if local government employers are looking to impose a pay freeze for staff next year... do you think that is fair? Will staff be willing to take action to oppose it?
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Simeon2, Of course not, staff are beaten down and having absolutely no confidence in UNISON (chocolate fireguard comes to mind). Why could you not foresee it ? I could !!! There's a terrible recession. Balls will implement it, there'll be no more money and all responsibility will rest on front line practitioners. Social work is and will further implode and there will be more and more disasters. Staff will leave unless they are trapped by unemployment. I don't trust UNISON or BASW, waste of space. 5,000 signed up to petition ? It should be 50,000 !! Says it all about our profession. We have no voice.
I have to say I am not overly surprised with a pay freeze. I look around me, my partner lost his job towards the end of last year - and friends I know are equally affected at the moment. I think we are somewhat protected in the public sector but honestly, I'm glad to have a secure job. I don't really think this is the climate for pay increases.
Probably not making many friends by saying that though..
Many economists argue that a pay freeze would be suidcidal during a recession. If people think they are going to be worse off, they stop buying, so the recession deepens. Its a very nasty spiral to get into.
Chocolate fireguards aside, as cb says it will be hard to argue for a substantial pay rise but certainly consideration should be given to whether or not real living costs have risen since the last pay round (whilst mortgages might have gone down for many, rents and supermarket bills have risen) and if there is a pay freeze it should not be until the next scheduled pay round but should be flexible to take account of what is potentially quite a volatile economic climate. But neither do I think a pay freeze will do anything to help the low morale in the profession and as Mary said things can only get worse in this situation.