Croydon Council staff being "denied a wage they can live on"
by Dave Burke
dave.burke@essnmedia.co.uk
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UNIMPRESSED: James Young, chairman of Croydon's Unison branch
The majority of council staff are being denied a wage they can live on, at a time when some of their bosses are netting huge pay rises, trade union bosses have complained.
The lowest paid Croydon Council public servants are currently mulling over whether to accept a 1.25 per cent pay rise.
But the offer comes hot on the heels of the Advertiser's revelation that eight council workers are on wages of over £100,000 a year.
Six of these high earners were given better pay rises than the council workers are being offered - with one getting a whopping 11.5 per cent increase.
Trade union members now have until next Friday (September 4) to decide whether to accept the offer, having been told it is not up for negotiation.
Unison's Croydon branch chairman James Young said: "Our members don't see this as a pay rise.
"Members aren't very pleased considering the recent Freedom of Information request (by the Advertiser) with regard to the pay for the heads of departments and the chief executive.
"If members accept a lower pay increase this year, members will be looking for a considerable rise next year."
But with the current state of the economy, they seem resigned to accepting the lower than desired offer.
Mr Young said: "There's no great push for industrial action right now.
"At this moment we're still consulting on it, but there isn't a big drive for industrial action."
Union members in the borough have been sent a letter by Eleanor Tracey, acting branch secretary at Croydon Unison, where she voices her frustration at the huge Town Hall pay gap.
She wrote: "Our national negotiators have delivered to the table a one per cent pay rise for our members - the vast majority of whom are paid less than £25,000.
"In stark contrast to this, the Croydon Advertiser, using the Freedom of Information Act, identified that the top eight members of staff in Croydon earned in excess of £1 million (between them) per annum.
"The best among them netted pay increases in the region of 11.5 per cent.
"This extraordinary disparity cannot be justified at a time when working people are being denied a living wage."
The council's cabinet member for finance, Sara Bashford, admits she can understand why union members are upset.
She said: "I'm employed by someone else (other than the council), so I know what it is like.
"We all want to get a big pay rise, but we've got to look at it in the context of the economy at the moment.
"I would love for us to give every member of staff a huge pay rise, but it's not in my power and not something I can promise or say there's a likelihood of that happening.
"In Croydon a lot of people are losing their jobs or having to take pay cuts."
16 Comments
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by brian, purley
Thursday, September 03 2009, 10:59PM
“I know a care worker who is on 12k a year. She falls over herself to help those she cares for often working far longerthan she is paid for. Wish I coule be more specific but she wont be happy if I identify her!
She deserves a medal.”
by RobinHood, Croydon
Thursday, September 03 2009, 8:19PM
“Leave it out!!!
They need to get rid of half of them who are in non jobs.A large percentage were recruited under Blair to artificially lower unemployment.
Many of them make up wages with expenses,i.e petrol and subsidised food etc.
The savings by getting rid of the surplus could be partially used to give those left behind a better wage and the balance could be deducted from the council tax.”
by Dave, Purley
Thursday, September 03 2009, 9:01AM
“Having had to deal with Croydon Council for many years there main problem is too many managers and not enough people to do the work. A lot of the managers are far to far up their own backsides and just sit back waiting for retirement.”
by Negative, The Cronx
Thursday, September 03 2009, 8:37AM
“What these people don't realise is they get far better benefits than private sector workers. They get guaranteed pensions, they get decent Maternity benefits (women do, anyway - men aren't allowed to look after babies), they get a right to felxible working, whereas in the private sector you get told where to go if you ask for such things. If these people don't like it, go to the private sector and earn more money, but without the perks.”
by linda burton, croydon
Wednesday, September 02 2009, 8:09PM
“I have worked in the state sector for 27 years in office work. I'm earning £17,800 for full-time work. Not enough to live on in London”
by Arfur Towcrate, Staffycher
Wednesday, September 02 2009, 7:43PM
“"Strikes should be made illegal" - you mean like in Germany (1933-1945)?”
by Positive, Cronx
Wednesday, September 02 2009, 3:20PM
“I feel sorry for the staff. People say that public sector staff are lazy and work shy. It's just not true.
These hard working people deserve more money for the great service they provide the public.”
by ANNE, SELSDON
Wednesday, September 02 2009, 12:35PM
“Strikes should be made illegal, because the innocent public always suffer. £25,000 is not that bad a salary, anyway.”
by Mark, South Norwood
Wednesday, September 02 2009, 12:03PM
“Most people in London are having their wages cut or frozen. Thousands have lost their jobs in the private sector and end up losing their homes. State sector workers get higher wages, better job security and better pensions.
You don't hear about state sector employees losing their jobs do you, of course not. The socialist millitant trade unions are trying to control the UK again. Just like they did in the 1970's. They need their powers reduced just like Maggie Thatcher did in the 80's.
Something needs to be done before it's too late.”
by David, South Croydon
Wednesday, September 02 2009, 11:51AM
“Recent stats have indicated that people in the public sector actually earn more now on average than those in the private sector. That is without taking into account the amazing pensions they also get.
These people need to get back into the real world, where most people in the private sector, who actually pay for them, are getting 0% rises or even reductions. Yes it seems unfair that the bosses are getting such large increases, but in the current economy none of them should be getting anything.”