Public sector staff should also take pay cut in this crisis

NOTWITHSTANDING the Government’s commendable measures to support business and workers in these difficult times, it remains the case that it is the private sector that is taking the hit.

Employees are being dismissed and staff are having salary cuts imposed on them. In contrast, the salaries and employer pension contributions of public sector employees appear entire unaffected.

In his appearance at the daily briefing, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said we were all in this together. If you are in the private sector, it doesn’t feel like it.

Whilst protecting the incomes of NHS staff and low-paid workers in other public roles, I think it is now time to consider salary reductions for all other public sector staff across the board.

I believe this would send the right message that everyone is fairly sharing the load, and, at the same time, take some pressure off public borrowing and the national debt.

From: Henry Cobden, Ilkley.

WHAT is happening to all the staff at public bodies who are not involved in the Covid response? If they’re at home on extended leave, could they not be redeployed to support our farmers and so on?

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