Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Deegan
I used doctors and teachers because their jobs are more or less the same in the private and public sectors. I could also add firefighters and nurses to the list if you want, with the same results. In fact the only direct private comparrison to public sector firefighters would be airport firefighters, who I believe on average earn roughly 25% more.
Many public sector jobs have now gone to private contractors, who make a profit, and then pay very low wages. But this now puts those workers in the private sector.
You have to remember that many statistics are manipulated to fit in with the governments agenda, so don't take them too seriously. An example is how they reduced the number of fire death statistics. Now someone who dies in a fire that was started through arson, is not listed as a fire death, but as a murder. And someone who gets drunk, then passes out leaving their chip pan on, is listed as alocohol related, and not a fire death. Then someone who has a fire, and calls the fire service, but manages to knock the fire down themselves. If there are no visible flames on arrival of the fire service (even if it is still smoldering), this isn't put down as a fire.
There may be exceptions, but in general for long term employment it is well known that public sector jobs pay less. Although during a recession, businesses whos profits are down, may pay lower wages. But this usually changes as the economy improves, and unemployment drops.
By the way, it is illegal to pay men and women different pay rates just based on sex.
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You're cherry picking certain occupations which do not have widespread private employment equivalents. You're missing out large chunks like the clerical staff, cleaners, etc. Where are the Institute for Fiscal Studies(ie not the Government) getting their figures from?
When jobs are transferred from the public to the private sector, pay and conditions have to remain the same, under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (SI 2006/246).
Why the reference to equal pay? I didn't highlight the 'male public sector workers' bit solely because if refers to men. It is a quote from the IFS report as
reported on the BBC news website. What it indicates is that female public sector workers in the South East are paid more than their equivalent private sector jobs.