Public Sector Pay Freeze

[funkylad20]

I work in the public sector, for a well known national quango ("non-departmental government body"). I have been in my job for 2 years and three months now.

I am on a grade and started at the bottom of this grade, with the understanding when I was employed that I would increase up the band at a rate dependent upon performance; we have 'performance related pay reviews' each year. In my first year, I achieved one of the highest marks, with only 10% of the workforce here achieving this level.

With the new Government and cuts last May, we were told that we were to have a pay freeze from May 2010 onwards for a period of two years.

Despite the initial frustration I felt at this (after all I had been employed for 15 months and was expecting a pay-rise based on my performance from February 2009 - May 2010), I let it go and got on with my work, albeit with a little less enthusiasm to go over-and-above my role and commit to extra hours when necessary. I should also add, I have colleagues in the same office doing the same role who are on some £3k-4k more than I am, simply because they started a few months before I did (I fell foul of starting in February, towards the end of a financial year, after a re-grading of the job).

However, I have recently found out that friends who work for a local large county council have had an increase in their pay, either up their banding structure or for the 'cost of living'.

HOW is this possible? Is what I have experienced even legal? It does seem incredibly unfair to stay at the bottom of my grade for a total of 39 months (presuming this freeze will end in May 2012?). I totally appreciate that cuts are needed, but not sure how certain public sector jobs have avoided this?

[kinell]

presumably you were not press-ganged into the job?

then tout your skills around and get a better employer....

[factor-fiction]

Have you asked at work? In my experience of the public sector, salary increments are paid even when there is a pay freeze

[sara3]

f30, I've not had a pay increment for many years. it depends where you are on a pay scale, but I reached the top of my scale about 17 years ago.

god bless the civil service :o/

[boxtops]

I think you need to speak to your HR department. I work for the NHS and am also subject to the public sector pay freeze but I've been in the job a while so am at the top of my band, so no rise for me at all for the past couple of years. However, there are people on my team who have only been with us a couple of years and they are still getting their band increments, they haven't stopped - and anyone earning less than £21K is getting a flat £250 increment this year.
I wouldn't count on the freeze ending in May 2012, the financial year ends in March 2012 and it may all depend on the state of the public purse by then, any extension of the current freeze will have to be renegotiated. Your HR department will be able to tell you as much as they know about it.
Regarding your friends, different public sector bodies may have different contracts and different negotiating arrangements - certain jobs may attract different pay protection.

[mike11111]

I never thought I'd live to read a post like this! Saints preserve us!

[sara3]

eh?

[boxtops]

Pardon, Mike...? we may be public sector but we're not volunteers....

[factor-fiction]

Hi sara3- I wouldn't expect incrments to be paid n any organisation if you are at the top of the grade. In funkylad's case, he was at the bottom of a grade and says a system of increments existed. In my experience public sector organisations pay increments in such cases even duringa pay freeze.
But I'm not sure that this really is a public sector role- if it's a quango is tha really public sector?

[sara3]

was it offensive, redhelen? I am baffled!

[mike11111]

And there's me thinking that press gangs were abolished in the early 19C! Back to my history books!

[boxtops]

Could be, factor, it depends what it is. I understand (but i could be wrong) that certain NGOs are within the public sector umbrella if they provide a service to the public sector - for instance, " The Health Protection Agency is an independent UK organisation that was set up by the government in 2003".

[Prudie]

I'm also a civil servant but not same branch as redhelen, boxy or sara - I thought we all had our own separate pay structures and rises. My dept has not had an automatic increment rise for about 5 years. We did get a pay rise last year but had waited over 2 years for it.
As far as colleagues are concerned it is quite common to find those on a lower grade paid more than you just based on years of service. This is surely fair to those that have reached the ceiling of their ability (not related at all to those who have reached the top of their scale but have not had the opportunity for promotion). As said, welcome to the CS.

[mike11111]

To close my contribution in this discussion, may I point out that the word, "QUANGO" prompted my initial response. It would be interesting to know just exactly what this "Quango" is and how it contributes to the common weal, that is to say, worthy of taxpayers' support.

[karenmac60]

As with the majority of the above, I agree that if you are not at the top of your grade you should still be receiving your incremental rises every year. I'm also public sector and we haven't had a cost of living raise for at least 2 years, but anyone not at the top of their grade still gets their increments.

[sara3]

yes, I meant to say what Karen did.. but she said it better ;o)

[Prudie]

fairplay mike, I don't really know what a quango is either - thought it was something to do with slogan writing and marketing!

[boxtops]

.. and if I'm right, redhelen, the "department" in the title refers to whichever Government department set it up, but doesn't actually run it.