UK public sector workers expected to get 5% pay rise

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will offer millions of public sector workers pay rises averaging 5 per cent next week, reports citing unnamed government ministers said.

Annual pay reviews for almost half of public sector workers - including teachers, nurses, police, prison staff, civil servants and the armed forces - are due in the UK shortly.

UK retail slides at fastest rate since the 'depths of the pandemic'

The Financial Times reported one senior minister as saying the government would accept the recommendation of independent pay review bodies, which are likely to recommend raises of about 5 per cent.

A representative for Mr Johnson's office declined to comment on the report.

British consumer price inflation hit a 40-year high of 9.1 per cent in May and the Bank of England forecasts it will exceed 11 per cent in October.

Meanwhile, pay growth in the public sector has lagged behind that of private sector workers, averaging only 1.5 per cent over the past year compared with 8 per cent in the private sector, where it has been bolstered by one-off bonuses.

Britain's government had planned on public sector pay rises of about 2 per cent, but one senior minister was reported as saying that rejecting the pay review bodies' recommendations would lead to an increased number of strikes.

"If you went below their recommendations, you'd save a bit of money but what would be the net saving?" an unnamed Cabinet minister was quoted as saying.

"You'd end up with a lot of strikes and a big economic hit. You're going to have strikes in any event, but that would make things much worse."

A 5 per cent rise would cost almost £7billion ($8.3bn) more than a 2 per cent rise, but may have to be funded from within existing budgets.

More from Rashmee Roshan Lall

US VP candidate Kamala Harris and the complexity of racial identity

Beirut blasts: What do we do with the world's ammonium nitrate?

How the pandemic is testing the solidarity of the European Union

When it comes to peace, is the EU really a great power?

In Beirut, a rescued pelican becomes symbol of hope in crisis-stricken Lebanon

RESULTS

Catchweight 63.5kg: Shakriyor Juraev (UZB) beat Bahez Khoshnaw (IRQ). Round 3 TKO (body kick)

Lightweight: Nart Abida (JOR) beat Moussa Salih (MAR). Round 1 by rear naked choke

Catchweight 79kg: Laid Zerhouni (ALG) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ). Round 1 TKO (punches)

Catchweight 58kg: Omar Al Hussaini (UAE) beat Mohamed Sahabdeen (SLA) Round 1 rear naked choke

Flyweight: Lina Fayyad (JOR) beat Sophia Haddouche (ALG) Round 2 TKO (ground and pound)

Catchweight 80kg: Badreddine Diani (MAR) beat Sofiane Aïssaoui (ALG) Round 2 TKO

Flyweight: Sabriye Sengul (TUR) beat Mona Ftouhi (TUN). Unanimous decision

Middleweight: Kher Khalifa Eshoushan (LIB) beat Essa Basem (JOR). Round 1 rear naked choke

Heavyweight: Mohamed Jumaa (SUD) beat Hassen Rahat (MAR). Round 1 TKO (ground and pound)

Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammad Ali Musalim (UAE beat Omar Emad (EGY). Round 1 triangle choke

Catchweight 62kg: Ali Taleb (IRQ) beat Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR). Round 2 KO

Catchweight 88kg: Mohamad Osseili (LEB) beat Samir Zaidi (COM). Unanimous decision

How our nine-month-old has made the Canadian winter a little bit warmer for us

Canadians rallying around a targeted Syrian restaurant is telling about attitudes to migrants

Don Cherry and the real issue with being one of 'you people'

The%20Hunger%20Games%3A%20The%20Ballad%20of%20Songbirds%20%26%20Snakes

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Francis%20Lawrence%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3ERachel%20Zegler%2C%20Peter%20Dinklage%2C%20Viola%20Davis%2C%20Tom%20Blyth%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en