Harvie demands public sector pay cap is lifted
Teachers, nurses and public sector workers “earning an average full time wage or less” must receive at least an above-inflation pay rise says Patrick Harvie MSP.
The Green co-convener challenged the finance secretary at Holyrood today (29 June) to reveal discussions the Scottish Government has had “with unions regarding the future of its public sector pay policy” and to commit to lift the public sector pay cap and introduce “an above-inflation pay rise”.
Glasgow MSP, Patrick Harvie said:
“When the Scottish Government introduced pay restraint in the public sector, it was seen as a short term measure to avoid job losses in the face of cuts to the block grant. Since then we’ve seen real terms pay levels eroded year after year, while the Scottish Government has gained the tax powers needed to raise new revenue.
“Greens first proposed ways of ending the pay cap in the last parliamentary session, by cancelling the SNP’s transfer of revenue into polluting capital projects. Now they have even more options, from taxation to borrowing powers.
“With inflation on the rise, the pay cap must now be seen as unjustified, as well as being unnecessary. While I’m pleased that the government is committed to taking ‘a different approach’, they must go further, and at the very least, commit to an above-inflation pay rise for everyone earning an average full time wage or less.”