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The UK government has done this various times in the last couple of years to argue against (high) pay rises for the National Health Service and other government

The UK government has done this various times in the last couple of years to argue against (high) pay rises for the National Health Service and other government institutions. One of the more recent articles: https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-annual-wage-growth-72-excluding-bonuses-three-months-april-ons-2023-06-13/ https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-annual-wage-growth-72-ex... Or here: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/jun/20/would-a-wageprice-spiral-cause-inflation-to-get-out-of-control https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/jun/20/would-a-wag...

evancox100 3y ago
So the one exception that I considered putting in would be cases where the government is the employer and is negotiating with their employees. And yes of course, they will use whatever arguments they can to come out ahead in labor negotiations, like any employer. I didn't see any mention of calls for workers to accept lower wages in the first article. In the second article, such calls were mentioned but not explicitly referenced or quoted. (Maybe they would be familiar to a British audience.) But I would say that is different than asking for private sector workers to accept lower wages as an inflation fighting strategy. And note that the actual fiscal policy that the UK has pursued is wage subsidies, as much as 650£ - 1000£ annually it seems. (As described in the second article, not something I'm familiar with beyond that.)
- bigfudge 3y ago
  UK govt spokespeople have regularly argued that employers and employees, both public and private, should limit wage rises or accept lower rises to avoid inflation. It’s mad, but that’s actually what they say. Ironically, they are most vehement when claiming wage rises in the public sector cause inflation, despite ethe evidence there being much weaker (or non existent according to many economists).
  - galaxyLogic 3y ago
    UK Government is a right-wing government right? Their goal is to help big business not the employees. Isn't that the definition of right-wing? Telling workers to accept lower pay makes about as much sense as asking companies to accept lower profits. Yes you can ask but they will not obey.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- giobox 3y ago
  Sunak regularly has called on UK private sector leaders to show "restraint" when deciding pay awards. One such example: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-15/uk-s-sunak-urges-company-executives-to-embrace-pay-restraint#xj4y7vzkg https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-15/uk-s-suna...
  - evancox100 3y ago
    Sure but that's an appeal to the employer setting the wages, not the worker. (Or is he talking about executive pay for themselves? I couldn't read the article.)
    - harvey9 3y ago
      The thread is about exactly that: an appeal to the employer in the form of advocating lower wages as a means to combat inflation.
  - galaxyLogic 3y ago
    What he should be calling for is for private sector leaders to show restraint when raising prices. But he doesn't. That just tells you whose side he is on.

evancox100 3y ago

So the one exception that I considered putting in would be cases where the government is the employer and is negotiating with their employees. And yes of course, they will use whatever arguments they can to come out ahead in labor negotiations, like any employer. I didn't see any mention of calls for workers to accept lower wages in the first article. In the second article, such calls were mentioned but not explicitly referenced or quoted. (Maybe they would be familiar to a British audience.) But I would say that is different than asking for private sector workers to accept lower wages as an inflation fighting strategy. And note that the actual fiscal policy that the UK has pursued is wage subsidies, as much as 650£ - 1000£ annually it seems. (As described in the second article, not something I'm familiar with beyond that.)

bigfudge 3y ago
UK govt spokespeople have regularly argued that employers and employees, both public and private, should limit wage rises or accept lower rises to avoid inflation. It’s mad, but that’s actually what they say. Ironically, they are most vehement when claiming wage rises in the public sector cause inflation, despite ethe evidence there being much weaker (or non existent according to many economists).
- galaxyLogic 3y ago
  UK Government is a right-wing government right? Their goal is to help big business not the employees. Isn't that the definition of right-wing? Telling workers to accept lower pay makes about as much sense as asking companies to accept lower profits. Yes you can ask but they will not obey.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
giobox 3y ago
Sunak regularly has called on UK private sector leaders to show "restraint" when deciding pay awards. One such example: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-15/uk-s-sunak-urges-company-executives-to-embrace-pay-restraint#xj4y7vzkg https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-15/uk-s-suna...
- evancox100 3y ago
  Sure but that's an appeal to the employer setting the wages, not the worker. (Or is he talking about executive pay for themselves? I couldn't read the article.)
  - harvey9 3y ago
    The thread is about exactly that: an appeal to the employer in the form of advocating lower wages as a means to combat inflation.
- galaxyLogic 3y ago
  What he should be calling for is for private sector leaders to show restraint when raising prices. But he doesn't. That just tells you whose side he is on.