Inflation-busting pay rises are “unaffordable”, cupboard minister Mark Harper has informed Sky News within the face of strikes within the public sector.
The transport secretary stated there “simply isn’t the money” to fund such wage hikes given the present financial scenario.
His feedback got here as nurses are set to stage their first-ever UK-wide strike subsequent month, until they get a 19% rise.
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They will be part of transport and postal staff on the picket traces in a widening dispute over pay and situations.
Speaking to the Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme, Mr Harper stated: “I think we want to try and give all the workers in the public sector who work very hard decent pay rises, but they can’t be inflation-busting pay rises.
“There merely is not the cash to pay for these given the context, we have not seen these within the non-public sector both, the non-public sector pay rises have typically been settled under the extent of inflation, which I settle for is tough for folks.”
But Labour’s shadow levelling up secretary Lisa Nandy stated: “They’re unaffordable because of 12 years of Tory government and 44 days in which Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng crashed the economy.
“I believe there should be a stage of humility about that inside authorities.
“What he should be doing is moving heaven and earth to try and avert strikes coming up this winter.
“It’s been a extremely powerful 12 months for lots of people and no one desires to see strikes, least of all of the people who find themselves having to resort to strike motion.”
Source: information.sky.com”