Has Gordon Brown Opened The Flood Gates For Wage Rises?
In a move which will eliminate the threat of possible industrial action by UK nurses in the short term , it has been announced that they have agreed an 8.1% three year wage deal. The nurses will receive a rise of 2.75% in year one with a 2.5% rise in each of the following two years. However, buried away in the small print is the opportunity for the Unions to reopen talks if the price of living continues to rise.
While some may suggest that this is a clever move to delay any possible action by nurses, many believe that Gordon Brown is just storing up problems for the future. Now that he has added this condition to the nurses pay deal, each and every other public body will expect the same when their pay reviews come before the Treasury. When you consider the billions at stake, the so called ‘Iron Chancellor’ may well be losing his grip.
Wage inflation in the UK has been very much under the microscope of late with more and more Unions unhappy with offers made to their members. It seems that the more Gordon Brown looks to bring the situation under control the more direct confrontation with the Unions – something which has seen a number of strikes over the last few months.
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