Alistair Darling announced plans to cap public sector pay and pension rises to 1% for two years from 2011 in his pre-Budget report this afternoon. Dave Prentis, the general secretary of Unison (which represents over 40,000 social workers in the UK) says his members feel "angry and betrayed" - do you feel the same?
no, i'm just glad to be in a secure job and actually getting more than 0% of a pay rise.
Not remotely surprised, in fact, I'm surprised it isn't 0%. Unemployment is high, I know quite a few people who have lost their jobs over the past year or so, and so the premium of security attached to public sector jobs is important to me. Mind, I'm generally happy with my salary in any case.
We have to live in a real world why are people surprised with an ageing population there is bound to be less money for everyone.
We will get tax breaks soon when we look after our parents at 90 plus
It's hard I know ...but you have to try.....go on
I don't see the Government having any other choice. They've already started by saying that they will slash top earners' positions - that's not enough. Whatever you do as a public service, it will not be enough and public services can only expand so much without tax rises and still do a good job on the cheap; We were the first ones to cry out in anger at the thought that resources will be slashed or the threshold for access to services will be raised - capping pay is only a natural consequence. Like the previous posters, I am pleased they have at least reconsidered the pay freeze. Mind you, though, Social workers are the better paid members of Unison - it is possible that the others are angry.
My concern is in the structure of the systems in place. How can a chief executive earn £150,000 when a social worker earns at max about 30 - 32? More equity is needed here.....just like this society values good bankers we need to value good social workers.....how about a Christmas bonous anyone? Are we saying we are realy okay at being hammered by a system that has (still) got one of the largest numbers of millionaires per capita in the world and one of the highest number of children living in poverty? We need to fight politically for those we work with, not just on an individual case work basis and yes, I do think we are worth the more for it. 1% of nothing is nothing!
At a time when recruiting qualified child care social workers is becoming increasingly difficult, do the government think that this is going to help? I live in the real world, I understand that resources are limited, but its going to get a whole lot worse and cost a whole lot more in agency fees , recruitment campaigns etc not to mention the quality of the services that can be provided unless social workers get paid a realistic wage.
I should think that the 1000s of public sector workers who earn less than £15,000 a year will be feeling very "angry and betrayed".
I wonder what planet people who talk about secure jobs live on
Social Workers are not seen as frontline staff by this government
There was no priority flu jab
the 1% is a maximum - many local councils are telling the LGA they want a 0% offer
Most Tory councils were livid when the offer was raised from 0.5% to 1% last year
1% rise in pay 1.5% rise in NI 2.5% inflation result 3% fall in living standards and that in a period of massive change.
Is that the Task Force report in the rubbish bin.
Things are even worse here in the USA. In Maryland the governor closed state offices for 5 days, and ordered employees to take an additional 4 daysoff - all WITHOUT PAY- apx. 4% PAY CUT! Even trickier, our courts operate under a different budget, so if one of my staff remove a child, (I'm a Child Protective Services Supervisor), on a day the state is closed but the courts are open, they have to appear in court without pay.
2011 looks even worse- -the state budget is going to be short 15%- and we're one of the better off states since Washington DC is right on our border. It's so depressing that I'm now looking at overseas forums to check out the job climate in other countries! 1% raise is better than a 4% cut, but it's not enough to entice me to move.
On the plus side- at least is isn't legal for most of your clients to own guns!! (In fact, "unsecured firearms" is a common neglect referral, and our only legal intervention is to ensure the family buys a gun safe and trigger locks.)
i fully expect unison and the (half witted) stuc to start sabre rattling shortly. unison are my union but god i hate some of their ways and means.
malky53: I wonder what planet people who talk about secure jobs live on Social Workers are not seen as frontline staff by this government There was no priority flu jab the 1% is a maximum - many local councils are telling the LGA they want a 0% offer Most Tory councils were livid when the offer was raised from 0.5% to 1% last year 1% rise in pay 1.5% rise in NI 2.5% inflation result 3% fall in living standards and that in a period of massive change. Is that the Task Force report in the rubbish bin.
Yes!
surfer: malky53: I wonder what planet people who talk about secure jobs live on Social Workers are not seen as frontline staff by this government There was no priority flu jab the 1% is a maximum - many local councils are telling the LGA they want a 0% offer Most Tory councils were livid when the offer was raised from 0.5% to 1% last year 1% rise in pay 1.5% rise in NI 2.5% inflation result 3% fall in living standards and that in a period of massive change. Is that the Task Force report in the rubbish bin. Yes!
The cap applies to all public services, not just Social Workers. Surely you do not expect for Social Workers to be privileged on this one? The taskforce report refers to regrading and career progression, not to yearly pay rises. Also I would give priority for my swine flu jab to an under 5 that suffers from asthma or a diabetic granny any day and I fully agree that NHS staff take priority because they are more likely to catch it due to the nature of their job that I am and the risk to poorly people if the nurses and doctors spread the swine flu in hospitals is much higher. I would not say yet that the taskforce is in the rubbish bin.I may say different in a year's time...
RP: surfer: malky53: I wonder what planet people who talk about secure jobs live on Social Workers are not seen as frontline staff by this government There was no priority flu jab the 1% is a maximum - many local councils are telling the LGA they want a 0% offer Most Tory councils were livid when the offer was raised from 0.5% to 1% last year 1% rise in pay 1.5% rise in NI 2.5% inflation result 3% fall in living standards and that in a period of massive change. Is that the Task Force report in the rubbish bin. Yes! I fully agree that NHS staff take priority because they are more likely to catch it due to the nature of their job that I am and the risk to poorly people if the nurses and doctors spread the swine flu in hospitals is much higher.
I fully agree that NHS staff take priority because they are more likely to catch it due to the nature of their job that I am and the risk to poorly people if the nurses and doctors spread the swine flu in hospitals is much higher.
this is the exact same and perfectly safe argument i heard from a nurse. good call.