I see their union is seeking a 12% rise, and threatening strikes. One things for sure, if they were to go on strike people would die as a result and if the public support a pay increase for them now, that would evaporate rather quickly. The other thing of course is that if the government did give them a substantial rise it would serve to encourage other public workers to seek the same. After all, fire fighters, police and the like haven't been working from home, and have also been exposed to additional risks.
My opinion is that, for once, the government need to be firm on this rather than their usual giving in to populist opinion and shouty voices. If not, other workers will demand and receive increases, inflation will result and the nurses will be no better off. Those in no position to negotiate will not receive an increase but will also suffer the inflation so will be worse off. I don't think it's a great idea to set off on a mission to make the worse off in society even poorer than they are now.
I don't think it's a great idea to set off on a mission to make the worse off in society even poorer than they are now.
Have you mentioned this to Mr personal tax allowance freeze man the Sunak?
Not yet, might give him a bell later on, I'm a bit busy at the moment.
The thing is a tidy percentage of workers in this country are, and always will be, on the minimum wage. They are in no position to negotiate as decades in the EU has provided Britain with a surfeit of low skilled workers, eager to work at any price. Unless the government increases the minimum wage to match the increase given to nurses and inevitably others this group will be worse off. Then, if the government does increase wages across the board for this group (by increasing the minimum wage) the nursing union will point out that theirs wasn't a 'real' increase, because it was eaten up by inflation, and once again seek a 'proper' increase.
And so it will go on.
Last Edit: Mar 5, 2021 18:41:49 GMT by Clinton Cool
I'm amazed at the level of naivety being shown about this announcement. People screamed for a lockdown, they got a lockdown and now it has to be paid for, it's not rocket science. I'm surprised nurses got a pay rise at all to be honest.
Tony Dunkley is a first class engineer, semi-retired now, but a lifetime of experience, and Works trained at Listers. You could not do better.
I must admit I watched it on the news and they interviewed some Dame professor and the stand out comment was they deserve it because they worked throughout lockdown.
Well so did I and millions of others I expect. Where's my bonus and 12% payrise.
Must admit we did get a 3% one in feb but that was last years. It was backdated for a year which was nice. if we can another 3% for this years that will be over a grand extra over last year and we did get 70 quid to spend in the coop with 50% discount on coop lines before Xmas.
It's another very emotive area - and one that will be more divisive that's for sure.
I can see all sides to this... I agree those that were/are on the frontline SHOULD be given an increase in line with inflation at least - perhaps even a 1 off bonus payment in appreciation of the extra work they put in but it shouldn't be across the board... as has been stated previously, vast swathes of the nhs was put into mothballs for months on end with operations/consultations cancelled -ergo, perhaps its only fair those folks shouldn't benefit from doing bugger all for months on end.
Looking "in" from an outsiders perspective - perhaps as someone held to ransom by an employer for years who would use whatever scare tactics to keep me in my box (threat of redundancy or whatever), NHS staff have on the whole NOT been under the same threat... going back to the start of lockdown 1, anyone working in the NHS pretty much knew their JOB/future earning potential was NOT under a new threat... unlike the rest of the population. Anyone being furloughed suddenly had to think about whether their job was going to BE there at the end of it... and is still doing so in many cases.
The small business owners WITHOUT cash reserves, the self employed (who perhaps are even more hand to mouth) who have struggled to keep financial plates spinning throughout - in some cases seeing no hope of recovery and having to throw the towel in on dreams they'd worked hard to achive.
I totally accept the majority of hospital workers will probably be tired, stressed and over worked - but trust me, the private sector is no better! - at least in the nhs they have protections a typical pleb working for a tyrant doesn't/will ever have.
They can accrue holiday time, they HAVE a sick pay scheme and if things got too much for them they could use it - it's not difficult to get a sick note is it?
I suspect there many, many people who wish they had been lucky enough to be able to have 'worked' through the last 12 months with financial security. I don't begrudge a penny paid as worker bees but when the rest of the economy is going to be a pile of shite for years to come because of this, some could argue perhaps austerity pain should be shared out... and if that includes not increasing a salary bill, or taxing a pensioner (and I don't mean the head line basic state pension people who are on their fiscal arses already) a bit more, then so be it.
There is a lot more financial hardship across the board to come and mark my words, as soon as ANY government can stop bailing (or appearing to ) folks out, they will... they have to.
We are all going to be in this together - that said, in the scheme of things, it might have been a good idea for Boris and co just to printed "a bit more" and publically rewarded the NHS at least.
Remember the battle bus promise? NHS number of full time staff @ 1,169,000.Simple maths equates to a little bit more than £3.50 a week each or was Boris trying to mislead the country yet again .
NB Bittern's Boom, 32ft Narrowboat reg'd 1968, moored on the highest mooring on the network.
It's another very emotive area - and one that will be more divisive that's for sure.
I can see all sides to this... I agree those that were/are on the frontline SHOULD be given an increase in line with inflation at least - perhaps even a 1 off bonus payment in appreciation of the extra work they put in but it shouldn't be across the board... as has been stated previously, vast swathes of the nhs was put into mothballs for months on end with operations/consultations cancelled -ergo, perhaps its only fair those folks shouldn't benefit from doing bugger all for months on end.
Looking "in" from an outsiders perspective - perhaps as someone held to ransom by an employer for years who would use whatever scare tactics to keep me in my box (threat of redundancy or whatever), NHS staff have on the whole NOT been under the same threat... going back to the start of lockdown 1, anyone working in the NHS pretty much knew their JOB/future earning potential was NOT under a new threat... unlike the rest of the population. Anyone being furloughed suddenly had to think about whether their job was going to BE there at the end of it... and is still doing so in many cases.
The small business owners WITHOUT cash reserves, the self employed (who perhaps are even more hand to mouth) who have struggled to keep financial plates spinning throughout - in some cases seeing no hope of recovery and having to throw the towel in on dreams they'd worked hard to achive.
I totally accept the majority of hospital workers will probably be tired, stressed and over worked - but trust me, the private sector is no better! - at least in the nhs they have protections a typical pleb working for a tyrant doesn't/will ever have.
They can accrue holiday time, they HAVE a sick pay scheme and if things got too much for them they could use it - it's not difficult to get a sick note is it?
I suspect there many, many people who wish they had been lucky enough to be able to have 'worked' through the last 12 months with financial security. I don't begrudge a penny paid as worker bees but when the rest of the economy is going to be a pile of shite for years to come because of this, some could argue perhaps austerity pain should be shared out... and if that includes not increasing a salary bill, or taxing a pensioner (and I don't mean the head line basic state pension people who are on their fiscal arses already) a bit more, then so be it.
There is a lot more financial hardship across the board to come and mark my words, as soon as ANY government can stop bailing (or appearing to ) folks out, they will... they have to.
We are all going to be in this together - that said, in the scheme of things, it might have been a good idea for Boris and co just to printed "a Inflation bit more" and publically rewarded the NHS at least.
Inflation is well below 1% so the one percent is an inflation busting pay rise! I am with Ian a bonus for the frontline workers only, our neighbour is a nurse and spent most of the time for the last year on furlough does she deserve a pay rise or bonus?
Lost in wonder at the world and often wondering how I got there