MP slams Government on public sector pay failure

WARRINGTON South MP Faisal Rashid has called out the government on failing to lift the public sector pay cap.

During a debate Faisal said that whilst it was widely reported on September 12 that the Government had lifted the public sector pay cap, in reality this was not the case. He pointed out that the pay freeze remains in place for most public sector workers.

The Westminster Hall debate was called after almost 150,000 people, including 326 from Warrington South, signed Unison’s e-petition, which calls on the Government to scrap the public sector pay cap and give NHS, council, police and school staff a decent pay rise.

Faisal  said: “For the last seven years, public sector workers have seen their pay fall and their cost of living rise forcing many into financial hardship. 

“The Conservative Government’s approach has been to cherry-pick some groups in the public sector for a so-called pay rise, which would still result in their wages being cut in real terms.

“This Government have so far failed to provide much of the additional funding that is needed even for such an incremental rise. In areas where funding has been discussed, such as in the NHS, there remains a lack of clarity. This is yet another example of where the Government has been strong with words but weak on action.

“Our hardworking public sector workers have propped up services and supported communities with their professionalism, skill and determination and their reward has been seven years of relative pay cuts.

“The Government has taken public sector workers for granted for too long and treated them shamefully. They deserve better. They deserve to feel valued by society and by the Government. They deserve to have the pay freeze lifted now.”