Unite calls for an end to austerity pay in the MOD

A pay claim was formulated to tackle and address the reduction in the real earnings that MOD employees in Gibraltar have witnessed with a decade of pay restraint when the economy on the Rock has boomed, says the union.

The claim once finalised will be presented to the Joint Forces Command in the UK, such a claim will seek to protect the historic and hard fought parity agreement, but simultaneously combat the earnings pressure that Unite members engaged in the important work of the MOD are experiencing.

Caren Evans, Unite officer with national responsibility for the MOD said: “Following the UK conservative government’s failed austerity programme introduced in 2010, MOD workers in Gibraltar have suffered the same wage restraints as their UK counterparts and have experienced a real terms reduction in their earnings. This contrasts with the wider public sector in Gibraltar which has experienced pay increases of least inflation which has led to a wage disparity of an estimated 30% since the introduction of the UK austerity measures when compared to the MOD.

"There is much talk of Gibraltar having successfully avoided austerity when the rest of Europe dived into recession as a result of the global financial crisis; however austerity is alive and unfortunately kicking here in the form of pay restraint in the MOD”.

Following a successful meeting with Unite representatives and members from the MOD, the union says: We are close to finalising a pay claim that will seek to meet the aspirations of our membership and to claw back the real terms loss in wages and the standard of living. Both the public and private sectors in Gibraltar continue to grow and prove to be the engine to the successful Gibraltarian economy; however the MOD and our members working there remain a vital cog in that economic wheel, but are being choked off by UK led austerity. "The union does not underestimate the size of the task before us and Unite calls upon all political parties in Gibraltar to swing behind the union’s campaign to address wage restraint in the MOD. Pay austerity does not benefit MOD workers nor does it benefit Gibraltar and it’s economy”.

GSD support

The GSD note Unite the Union’s statement on the pay claim they will be tabling to the MOD to redress a real terms loss in wages because of policies adopted by the UK Government.

GSD Leader Keith Azopardi said: “the GSD is supportive of the Union’s bid to cure historic imbalances caused by UK Government policy. Clearly MOD workers have been impacted by policies adopted in the UK. These policies have not factored in any unique Gibraltar issues and will have created disparities and real loss in value of earnings over the last few years. This will have affected the standard of living of workers and their families. The GSD hope the MOD and Union will find a practical way forward that will meet the aspirations of MOD workers as soon as possible.”

13-08-19 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR