NJC Payscales 2010/2011
Pay freeze continues and cost of living increase for 2010/2011 looks unlikely.
"The Employers Side of the National Joint Council (NJC) issued a circular indicating that for 2010/11 “the employers have not offered an increase. This will not change”. However, in doing so, the employers have also confirmed contractual annual increments should continue to be paid." Source: NIPSA
The latest news on NJC payscales is that a cost of living increase looks unlikely. However, given the financial strain that most organisations are facing, at the present time, this may come as somewhat of a relief. Unfortunately this is disappointing for workers, who in effect are taking a pay cut as the cost of living continues to rise. While the NJC pay freeze effects many local government and voluntary sector workers across UK and NI, a more worrying threat to voluntary and community organisations are cuts that government departments may have to make.
With UK public expenditure undergoing major cuts since the Westminster election, Northern Ireland’s budget settlement for 2011 to 2015 will be harsh and is likely to see a reduction in real terms of £1.2 billion over the four years.
NICVA is worried that these cuts will have an unfair and disproportionate impact on voluntary and community organisations that deliver important public services. Government funding to the voluntary and community sector is £260 million, 45% of the sector’s income. Most of this goes to pay for services which the sector delivers so efficiently that it saves public money.
NICVA believes that voluntary and community organisations offer a smart solution to the tough economic decisions that lie ahead.
We want to ensure that voluntary and community organisations are not seen as an easy target for cuts that government departments may have to make. For more information visit the Smart Solutions in Tough Times campaign homepage http://www.nicva.org/projects/smart-solutions-tough-times
Susan Lavery | 3 September 2010 - 8:49am |
