Allister Darling warns against pay rises

[mr.c72]

Chancellor Alistair Darling urged pay restraint on Britain's workforce as inflation soared to a record high.

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Mr Darling's plea came as soaring food and petrol prices pushed the Consumer Prices Index to 3.8% in June - the highest since January 1997 and almost double the Bank of England's 2% target.
But the Chancellor warned against inflationary pay rises, which would in turn drive prices even higher.
"I have said again and again, whether you are in the private sector or the public sector, whether you are sitting in the boardroom or working on the shop floor, we cannot allow inflationary wage increases," he said.
His comments drew fire from union leaders on the eve of a 48-hour strike by hundreds of thousands of local authority staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland after rejecting a 2.45% wage offer.
TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said families were increasingly concerned at how to make ends meet in the face of surging household bills.
"The growing gap between wages and inflation is the reason why thousands of council workers will reluctantly be going on strike.
"Claims that decent wages will lead to spiralling inflation are wrong. There is no evidence that pay awards are driving prices upwards now and no evidence that they will do so in the future," he said.
Shadow chancellor George Osborne said inflation was now more than double the level seen when Labour came to power in 1997.
Treasury spokesman Vince Cable added: "We are now facing the start of an economic climate worryingly reminiscent of the 1970s, with falling demand, rising unemployment and rising inflation."

[KillBill]

"I have said again and again, whether you are in the private sector or the public sector, whether you are sitting in the boardroom or working on the shop floor, we cannot allow inflationary wage increases," he said.

Can't allow inflationary wage increases...... unless you're a ****ing MP that is...

Really, given that this is Darling, should it actually warrant any surprise?
His 'solution' to low income families being unable to afford the extortinate new car taxes which will apply to older family cars (while new Lexus SUVs and the like will be exempt), was 'Buy a new, low emissions car and then you need not pay the charges'. Yes, because people running around in a 10 year old shunter are doing it by choice aren't they, if they could afford a new ****ing car they wouldn't be in this mess.
Yes another example of the 'let them eat cake' attitude attitude displayed by that government really...

[DeXx250]

Revolution is needed...

[Giles]

Inflation linked pay rises will do no more than allow people to close the gap between the increased 'cost' of living and income.
Does he really think that people will start blowing their 3.8% "windfall" on extravigence?? - maybe they'll just use it to survive.

What a dick.

By by labour........

[DaveB]

He is a dick. It's **** like this that has caused the company I work for to impliment a 'wage freeze' temporarily based on advice from the Government.

[KillBill]

Anyone ever think about the fact that the government don't have a ****ing clue, I mean you or I can go, with enough votes, and become a government minister, despite the tiny little fact that we may know sweet FA about whatever we're put in charge of.
I mean with cabinet reshuffles etc, someone can go from being in charge of say education, to roads, to civil defence in the space of a week!

JFK tried to implement a system where the people he appointed were experts in their particular fields, so someone with an economic background was running the finances, someone with planning / architectural knowledge was in charge of roads and infrastructure, etc etc. Basically, the best person for the job at hand.

Only thing was it all had to be binned because people cried that those doing the jobs hadn't been democratically elected. So, lets stick with a system of putting ****ing imbeciles in charge of the things which determine every aspect of our lives, because at least its democratic.... who cares how big a ****ing mess they make of it, as illustrated rather impeccably by this government...

[Lugy]

Anyone ever think about the fact that the government don't have a ****ing clue, I mean you or I can go, with enough votes, and become a government minister, despite the tiny little fact that we may know sweet FA about whatever we're put in charge of.
I mean with cabinet reshuffles etc, someone can go from being in charge of say education, to roads, to civil defence in the space of a week!

JFK tried to implement a system where the people he appointed were experts in their particular fields, so someone with an economic background was running the finances, someone with planning / architectural knowledge was in charge of roads and infrastructure, etc etc.
Only thing was it all had to be binned because people cried that those doing the jobs hadn't been democratically elected. So, lets stick with a system of putting ****ing imbeciles in charge of the things which determine every aspect of our lives, because at least its democratic.... who cares how big a ****ing mess they make of it, as illustrated rather impeccably by this government...

But surely you don't need to know how to run a country!!?!! These clowns don't seem to.

So what they are saying is that we need to be payed less while inflation makes the bare essentials like bread and milk unaffordable? This government hasn't got a clue. Surely the point of a democracy is that everyone gets to have they're say. It seems quite the opposite.

Do you think they actually know about how the public feel?

[alistairolsen]

They put him in charge of transoprt and he was universally despised, so they figured putting him in charge of the economy would be cool

:S

[CraigGreen]

I've said it before, This country is doomed!

[KillBill]

They put him in charge of transoprt and he was universally despised, so they figured putting him in charge of the economy would be cool

:S

There is a simpler solution.
Please can somebody kindly just shoot the ****, and Gordon while they're at it?

Kthxbi.

[cambridge]

I half see the twunts argument..

You increase their pay and the govt need to "find" (yeah we all know loads of cash is wasted) the extra money to pay for it.... so you either lose some services or you get charged more in tax/council taxes etc which would then leave you with less cash in your pocket to spend on things that are more expensive now blah blah blah.

[lethal]

I half see the twunts argument..

You increase their pay and the govt need to "find" (yeah we all know loads of cash is wasted) the extra money to pay for it....

What? The government dont pay the private sector's wages you know. We still do have a private sector.

[cambridge]

arent workshy teachers paid for by the govt/local councils?

[kazsymonds]

Where's lee harvey oswald when you need him?

[Galahad]

we cannot allow inflationary wage increases

...but he does still allow tax to increase via inflation!

And as for the not allowing, Private sector will do exactly what they want with nary feck all he can do about.

Darling and this government haven't got a clue.

The cost of EVERYTHING is going up, in no small part to fuel prices which the Government are in a position to reduce as their take is the biggest part of the end price. Reduce fuel duty, and the cost of transporting the food into the shops will drop, means people have more money to spend.

The cost of everything goes up, but peoples pay stays the same, and they now want to increase Road Tax at precisely the time when lots of people can least afford it. Jolly well done to Labour!

Really reading the public mood there. They 'think' everyone is as 'passionate' about the environment as they are, unfortunately, many families are just struggling to keep afloat.

So Gordon Brown, I haven't heard you boast about your economic 'achievements' of late? whats up? Getting shy are we?

[lethal]

arent workshy teachers paid for by the govt/local councils?

Thats true but they're public sector.

The real kicker is not the teachers but all the extraneous jobs that have been created (see 'classroom assistants') in order to reduce the unemployment figure.

Unfortunately that didn't work either as unemployment figures posted today show it to be at it's highest since 1992!

[alistairolsen]

people dont seem to realise that the provision of jobs wont necessarily decrease unemployment, people have to want those jobs too!












(and a large proportion of poorly brought up british scumbags dont)

[lethal]

people dont seem to realise that the provision of jobs wont necessarily decrease unemployment, people have to want those jobs too!

(and a large proportion of poorly brought up british scumbags dont)

They'll want the jobs soon enough when the benefits no longer cover food and shelter.

Of course, the equally skint exchequer will have had the public sector pruned right back by then.

[j17sparky]

arent workshy teachers paid for by the govt/local councils?

Yes but they aint on strike, they dont need to to get what they want.


I have worked in the public sector for going on 4 years now. Due to getting less than inflation cost of living increases, or none at all some years, i am now earning less than i was earning 4 years ago. We have also gone through something called Job Evaluation which basically means the council were given the power to cut peoples wages however they saw fit. I am now limited to the same wage band as the guy who picks litter up (im a computer technician supporting 300 and odd PCs for 1500 users, plus £100,000s worth of network kit, A/V equipment, stage lights, etc etc. Basically if i got hit by a bus 1200 kids educations would be effected).

Thanks for the support so far people! But to pre-emt the obvious question;

Why dont i just go get a job in the private sector instead of moaning about it? Well that isnt the point is it, do you want monkeys to be responsible for your kids education? Direct role or not, if i made a mistake i could ruin 250 kids GCSE results in all subjects.

[lethal]

Direct role or not, if i made a mistake i could ruin 250 kids GCSE results in all subjects.

Don't get ideas above your station.

Everybody knows the GCSE results are made up on the spot by the examining board (aka company) in order to outdo other examining boards.

[j17sparky]

The real kicker is not the teachers but all the extraneous jobs that have been created (see 'classroom assistants') in order to reduce the unemployment figure.

I think google must be playing up lethal. Teaching assistant are there to replace supply and full time teachers. Well that aint what they are supposed to be for but that is the reality of it.
They are actually one of the best ideas this govt. have had. Why pay a qualified teacher £30k pa when you can pay an assisstant £15k?

[j17sparky]

Don't get ideas above your station.

Everybody knows the GCSE results are made up on the spot by the examining board (aka company) in order to outdo other examining boards.

You are probably right. GCSEs are almost meaningless now a days anyway. I'm the computer tech and i doubt i could pass the IT paper as its so ambiguous and just plain incorrect half the time. But saying that other questions are so easy you would be disapointed if your yorkshire terrier got the wrong answer.

One thing never fails to make me laugh, and thats when kids do a multiple choice paper with 4 answers per question and they get less than 25%

[CraigGreen]

(and a large proportion of poorly brought up british scumbags dont)

Spoken in your finest Scottish tongue?

[alistairolsen]

Not really mate, its just as bad in scotland, england, wales and NI Im sure, there just seems to have become a culture of people who expect the money and if they have to do some work for it thats an inconvenience. The jobs are there, if they werent all the poles would be unemployed too, the problem is peoples expectations are so high that they see menial labour as below themselves in many cases. Shame their pride doesnt run to having their own ****ing money as well!

[DaveB]

Yes but they aint on strike, they dont need to to get what they want.


I have worked in the public sector for going on 4 years now. Due to getting less than inflation cost of living increases, or none at all some years, i am now earning less than i was earning 4 years ago. We have also gone through something called Job Evaluation which basically means the council were given the power to cut peoples wages however they saw fit. I am now limited to the same wage band as the guy who picks litter up (im a computer technician supporting 300 and odd PCs for 1500 users, plus £100,000s worth of network kit, A/V equipment, stage lights, etc etc. Basically if i got hit by a bus 1200 kids educations would be effected).

Thanks for the support so far people! But to pre-emt the obvious question;

Why dont i just go get a job in the private sector instead of moaning about it? Well that isnt the point is it, do you want monkeys to be responsible for your kids education? Direct role or not, if i made a mistake i could ruin 250 kids GCSE results in all subjects.

Thing is; you've been offered a 2.4% increase or something, and are fighting for what, 6%?

In reality they'll probably agree on 3.5%. Say you earn £20k, then that 3.5% increase over the year would be £700. Over the year, after tax that's £542.50. So per month, you're getting an extra £45.20

That same person, on £20k would be taking home (pre-increase) c.£42.40 PER day. So by going on strike, even WITH a 3% increase you've actually lost money over the year. So it's all utterly ****ing POINTLESS!