Union leaders meet with Chancellor

to discuss public sector pay

TUC leaders this morning (Wednesday) met the Chancellor, the Chief Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (DBERR) to press the Government for a new approach on public sector pay to safeguard the living standards of all public servants.

TUC public service unions have all committed to work together to coordinate their approach in the upcoming negotiations across public services.

The TUC team led by TUC President, Dave Prentis, and General Secretary, Brendan Barber, told the Chancellor that public service pay is not driving inflationary pressures in the economy, and that it is utterly unfair for public servants to be expected to accept pay settlements that fall short of matching inflation. The TUC team emphasised that the inflation index referred to by pay negotiators reflecting the real increases in living costs facing ordinary workers is the RPI which currently stands at 4%, well ahead of the Government's inflation target index, the CPI. Unions are prepared to consider long-term deals where appropriate, but a rigid centrally imposed policy that ignores recommendations from independent review bodies will not be acceptable.

The TUC team pressed the Chancellor that public service negotiators need greater flexibility in their negotiations with unions, including scope to address long term problems in pay structures and low pay.

The TUC team will be reporting back to all public service unions on the meeting and will be seeking a further meeting with the Chief Secretary to continue the talks.

The TUC delegation included TUC President, Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, TUC General Secretary, Brendan Barber, Steve Sinnott, General Secretary of the NUT, Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of PCS, Paul Noon, General Secretary of Prospect, Lesley Mercer of the CSP, Brian Strutton of the GMB and Patrick Roach of the NASUWT.