UNISONActive is an unofficial blog produced by UNISON activists for UNISON activists. Bringing news, briefings and events from a progressive left perspective.

Friday 24 August 2012

The phoney case for regional pay

A superb new IDS report, commissioned by UNISON, nails the big lie which underpins the Con Dem case for regional pay for public service workers - that supposedly public sector pay levels ‘crowd out private sector investment and job creation': http://bit.ly/ReJOHk

However, it would be a mistake to think that compelling evidence is sufficient to bury this issue. Only yesterday an editorial in the FT made the case for the gradual introduction of regional pay for teachers, claiming that is not ‘helpful for the public sector to pay above the odds in deprived areas where private sector employers may then struggle to offer competitive salaries’:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9cd4ae7c-ec61-11e1-a91c-00144feab49a.html#axzz24P7ko8pC

Many Lib Dem MPs, including front benchers, have placed on record their opposition to regional pay and the IDS report provides timely ammunition to reinforce that position.