Government departments have recommended a pay rise of 2.8% for millions of public sector workers including teachers, NHS staff and senior civil servants next year.
Unions responded by saying the proposed pay increase was too low, with one threatening strike action.
The British Medical Association (BMA) said there was a "very real risk" of further industrial action if "pay erosion" was not addressed, while Unison's Helga Pile said the proposal was a "bitter pill".
How will the government deal with this, they can’t roll over like they did the last time.

Hoist by their own petard, the naivety is breathtaking.

If they dont accept jobs will go. Already the Chancellor has asked for a 5% in efficiency saving across all departments.
Bumpy times ahead.

The gold plate is getting more ….tarnished by the day….looking more like brass…

With a name like Helga PILE from Unison, they are bound to get a large % increase.

Or massive haemorrhoids….ouch

U

How can you make some one who has a desk job in a government department more efficient?

Threaten them….seriously, most governments talk as though everyone works in offices at a desk….all references to workers relates to people working in an office environment…they forget most people are out there grafting and who could never work from home.

Fewer managers of managers of managers, that's how you produce a 5% efficiency saving.

Let the manager of paperclips also do the management of loo rolls

Teach them how things work in the private sector and get them to change their methods of work.
After working in the private sector for many years i joined the NHS and Local Authorities what i saw was a horror story.

Working in Engineering and Contracting Industry we were classed as industrial nomads/transient labour, we had to sort our own pay rises out, no government involvement and increased productivity actually meant it, you got aught for nowt, annual rises weren’t guaranteed.

Elon Musk could sort it.
But Labour don,t like him

once the public sector was looked at as poorly paid but had security over the private sector. things seemed to have changed somewhat.

Worked for both and the public sector is an absolute doddle…anyone getting sacked there now would have to be an active axe murderer or not got their own pronouns.

In my line of work in the private sector we were constantly being monitored, a 10 minute tea break was a 10 minute tea break likewise a half hour lunch break where supervisors were stationed to ensure you didn’t go over the time.
Working in public service offices the workers appeared to come and go as they pleased no actually monitoring what they were up to.

even worse with me as when i finished my designated private sector job they found other work for me to do. in the public sector i went for a hair cut more than once after i had finished for the days work. if not that then a natter in the inspectors office about football.