I think part of the problem is that terms like "the public sector" and "the Civil Service" are bandied about by The Media and Digby Prat Jones, who lump everyone who works in any kind of public service role in the same boat.
Most "public sector" workers would love to have any kind of salary that the people at the top, who are the ones who get big bucks and massive pensions are on. Teachers, policemen, firemen, job centre workers, etc do not earn anything like the same as equivalent jobs in the private sector. But every day on the radio, we are being told how expensive it is for THE TAXPAYER to pay their pensions. No mention of things like contribution holidays or removal of tax credits on pension schemes or the massive fall in the value of schemes due to the stock market collapsing due to the financial sector screwing us all over.
Yes, the civil service had a better deal on redundancies, which needs looking into. But it was offered to them instead of comparable salaries.
Private companies can decide how much or how little they pay out in redundancy, depending on how desperate they are at the time. It's not uncommon for people to be offered 1 month per year's service, but there's usually a cap of something like 2 years' pay.
no subject
Most "public sector" workers would love to have any kind of salary that the people at the top, who are the ones who get big bucks and massive pensions are on. Teachers, policemen, firemen, job centre workers, etc do not earn anything like the same as equivalent jobs in the private sector. But every day on the radio, we are being told how expensive it is for THE TAXPAYER to pay their pensions. No mention of things like contribution holidays or removal of tax credits on pension schemes or the massive fall in the value of schemes due to the stock market collapsing due to the financial sector screwing us all over.
Yes, the civil service had a better deal on redundancies, which needs looking into. But it was offered to them instead of comparable salaries.
Private companies can decide how much or how little they pay out in redundancy, depending on how desperate they are at the time. It's not uncommon for people to be offered 1 month per year's service, but there's usually a cap of something like 2 years' pay.