Pay
The times has an interesting article today about an electrician who works for a council earning 124,000 pounds in pay and bonuses. Although the small print says that this was made up of overtime, stand by allowances and back dated pay (conveniently they do not state how much was back dated pay). Shocking? Not really. What is worrying about this article is the comparison yet again to the pay of ministers, the PM and MPs. "By contrast, a minister of state such as Tessa Jowell, the Olympics minister, earns 106,136 pounds per year.
What is it about the comparison to what minister's earn? This electrician has clearly worked hard, probably well qualified and has only claimed money legitimately due to him (let's not talk about MP expenses). Why is there this belief that ministers and the PM should be the most highly paid people in the country. Even if not in comparison to the private sector, there is nearly always this view that nobody in the public sector should be paid more than the PM. The PM runs the country? Probably but not in reality. They are under serious pressure and constant scrutiny but they are politicians. While the day rate may not be fantastic one has to consider the 'package'. The directorships, consultancy that follow office, the after dinner circuit, the books, the interviews etc etc. I bet when the electrician is not being offered chairmanship of ICI, paid stacks of cash as a non-exec on numerous boards or has a pension that will allow him to lead as comfortable life as the PM will have.
It takes no qualifications to be a minister or an MP. Just an interest and dedication to run the country. You do not do it for the money and the benefits are far more wide reaching than immediate enrichment. The majority of MPs cannot be sacked in between elections and even if you are a poor performer, if you are in a safe seat you will not lose your job.
So lets please stop comparing everyone's pay to ministers. If the market rate for an electrician is 124,000 per year (given what I have paid for electricians and skilled tradesmen this does not seem massive if one considers it to be about 70-80 pounds per hour) then Ms Jowell has a choice, she can stay as minister for the Olympics or leave, train as an electrician and earn more money. But let's not create an artificial ceiling based upon politicians. The market is open and working relatively well. Supply and demand dictates the wages. Interfere with that at your peril.
What is it about the comparison to what minister's earn? This electrician has clearly worked hard, probably well qualified and has only claimed money legitimately due to him (let's not talk about MP expenses). Why is there this belief that ministers and the PM should be the most highly paid people in the country. Even if not in comparison to the private sector, there is nearly always this view that nobody in the public sector should be paid more than the PM. The PM runs the country? Probably but not in reality. They are under serious pressure and constant scrutiny but they are politicians. While the day rate may not be fantastic one has to consider the 'package'. The directorships, consultancy that follow office, the after dinner circuit, the books, the interviews etc etc. I bet when the electrician is not being offered chairmanship of ICI, paid stacks of cash as a non-exec on numerous boards or has a pension that will allow him to lead as comfortable life as the PM will have.
It takes no qualifications to be a minister or an MP. Just an interest and dedication to run the country. You do not do it for the money and the benefits are far more wide reaching than immediate enrichment. The majority of MPs cannot be sacked in between elections and even if you are a poor performer, if you are in a safe seat you will not lose your job.
So lets please stop comparing everyone's pay to ministers. If the market rate for an electrician is 124,000 per year (given what I have paid for electricians and skilled tradesmen this does not seem massive if one considers it to be about 70-80 pounds per hour) then Ms Jowell has a choice, she can stay as minister for the Olympics or leave, train as an electrician and earn more money. But let's not create an artificial ceiling based upon politicians. The market is open and working relatively well. Supply and demand dictates the wages. Interfere with that at your peril.
posted by So long and thanks for all the fish at
12:25 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home