Public Pay Talks - see mod warning post 4293

Rubbish.

I'm one of those, and I was one of the most vocal here last year arguing the case for the lower paid grades, but got absolutely lambasted for even suggesting they should get a higher percentage, as it would narrow the gap and "devalue" those in higher grades.

Those arguing against solution was "tell the lower grades to work harder and get promoted, then they'll earn more."

These are the people who are screwing over their younger colleagues - not the pre-95ers like me - who actually came up in the CS when being part of a union meant looking out for the best interest of all, not just myself or those at my grade.

That solidarity certainly doesn't exist anymore - that's if they even join a Union - though non-members are happy to take any deals negotiated by them.

Read the thread going back to last year. Then you'll see for yourself who voted for it.

I know I didn't. Something I was also heavily criticised for.

I will analyse the pay changes since inflation began to rise

CPI

2020 = -0.3% mild deflation

2021 = 2.4%

2022 = 7.8%

CPI in Dec 2016 = 100

CPI in Jan 2021 = 101.5 (this just shows how low and stable inflation was)

CPI July 2023 = 120.2

So since 1-Jan 2021, just over 30 months, inflation has been 18.5%

Building Momentum, negotiated during COVID in 2020, cover 1-Jan 2021 to end 2022

1-Oct-21 = +1%

1-Feb-22 = +1% local / sectoral bargaining fund

1-Oct-22 = +1%

BM extension/adjustment

2-Feb-22 = +3%

1-Mar-23 = +2%

So as of today, the pay increases have been +1+1+1+3+2 = 8.25%

That means real wages have fallen by 10% over the 2.5 years.

I'd vote for it again.

So if you are not in the union you stay on the same pay conditions as the day you started? That makes sense, off with you!

I'll give you the other viewpoint for consideration however - no unions means no paydeals, so effectively the union membership is paying for non members pay rises, that doesn't seem very fair or democratic either does it?

Okay, let's do that.

Public admin and defence received a 12.5% pay rise over five years, compared to 24% across all sectors.

So public service pay is lagging behind.

Public admin and defence has seen the second slowest wage growth.

ICT wages have grown by nearly 40%.

You can't look at it over one year or one pay agreement tho.

I don't think we will get an inflation matching deal over two years and i likely won't strike for that. I'll follow the unions advice and only reject the deal if they recommend that.

When times are good, private sector will move away. When times are bad, the gap will shrink. It is what it is.

Where are you pulling €1m+ as the typicap value?

I pay for my pension via the public service. Nothing stopping private sector employees doing the same.

Join if you can afford it with the pay I get I can't afford union membership until I make EO and by then inflation will have wiped that out for me too...

It's not an excuse, but if we dropped to a 4 day week and retained our salaries (+ whatever % increases are realistically possible) it would mean you've an entire extra day free to live your life every week of the year, essentially a raise in your hourly earnings. The main point being that this would make the CS/PS much more attractive to compensate for the lower pay compared with the private sector, since people ITT are raising the point that it's becoming less and less competitive with the private sector.

We all know it's possible to take a 20% pay cut to do a 4 day week, that's a complete tangent of a point