Myths about pay

MYTH 1

 

The global financial crash means that there’s no

money for pay rises. Everyone has to tighten their

belts.

 

The facts:

 

The UK is the 7th richest nation on earth and

the 4th richest when it comes to wealth per

person.

 

This government has reduced taxes for high

earners – dropping the 50 pence tax rate to 45

pence. That handed a £677.5million windfall

over to some of highest earners.

 

Every year since it came into power, the

government has cut corporation tax for big

business. They now pay £5 billion a year less

than they did in 2010.

 

 The cost of renewing the Trident nuclear

weapons systems would be £100 billion.

Each day £6.6 million is spent on its upkeep.

 

Tax evaders cost this country £8.8billion in

unpaid tax in 2011/12 alone.

There’s money to pay for tax breaks, nuclear

weapons and tax evasion, so there could be

money to pay a decent wage to local government

workers.

 

Myth 2

 

Public service workers have been cushioned from

the recession

 

The facts:

The real value of local government workers’

wages has fallen by 18% since 2010.

 

Pay rises have been below inflation in eight of

the last 17 years.

 

Many have seen terms and conditions cut at

local level.

 

Frozen pay doesn’t just affect you today –

it will cut the value of your pension too.

 

 

Myth 3

 

It’s a choice between a pay rise and saving jobs,

isn’t it?

 

The facts:

Over 450,000 jobs have been axed in local

government since 2010. Councils may say

they only cut pay to save jobs, but years of pay

restraint have not saved nearly half a million

jobs.