us and them

The Office for National Statistics revealed this week that average worker's wages have fallen for the first time in approaching 50 years.

Between January and March this year including bonuses the average wage fell by 0.4 percent, meaning the average wage fell by £95 to £24,000.

This statistic conceals another fact. Wages in the private sector fell by considerably more, in fact by 1.9 percent, and the average fall was close to zero only because public sector wages increased by 3.6 percent.

This increase in the public sector is bordering on the disgraceful. It requires those in the private sector to subsidise the public sector even more, and means more will be required for gold plated pensions. This is all at a time when national output is falling rapidly. Until recently employment was also growing in the public sector. (More people in the job centres?)

Defenders will say that public sector wage increases were agreed months or even years ago, and agreements cannot be suspended now. If they say this, then what about the agreements in the private sector which are being broken, because employers just do not have the money?

There seems every advantage in working in the public sector when there is a Labour government, because of the political clout the unions have.