There's been a great hoo-har this past week over the probable pay rise that civil servants can expect. Judging by figures released by the Government, this appears justified. Pay for top civil servants, ministers, judges and other top mandarins is well below the formula as prescribed back in 1994. Pegged to two-thirds of the median pay of the top forty-eight earners across six professions, the formula aims to provide renumeration that the best in Government deserve. At present, top civil servants are paid at only 55% of what their counterparts in the private sector are earning. But of course, at this level, only seems to be a very unfortunate word to use. After all, we are looking at increases of $1 million for the top mandarins. Per person. Astronomical amounts compared to what many low wage workers will ever earn in the span of their careers.The timing of this announcement, just months before this country prepares for the impact of an increase in the GST, has led many to come up with wild tales. The increase in the GST is to cover the increase in pay for the Government's top brass, some say. And that is just one of the many now circulating all around the Web. Rubbish, I say, all rubbish. Did these people not know that as the GST increases, the corporate tax has fallen? That in the same budget that called for the increases, social welfare benefits like Workfare were rolled out? The money for the benefits we enjoy must come from somewhere. But I digress. I believe that its only fair that we give the brightest minds in the Government and Civil Service the renumeration they so richly deserve. The facilities and benefits we enjoy are only possible because of the work they do. While it may be true to say that people looking to work in the public sector should put serving the people ahead of making money, it isn't fair to insist they settle for poor pay packages as compared to their peers in the private sector. That would only lead to massive staff turnover. Incidentally, this latest pay review comes after rising resignations in the Civil Service.The salaries of public sector staff must be brought in line with their private sector peers. There is no doubt about that. It is impossible to expect people to work themselves to the bone for a pittance. But just how much is fair? How can the size of the pay increases be justified? There is no simple answer to this, of course. But instead of just using the wages of top private sector earners as a yardstick, perhaps key performance indicators (KPI) can be used as well? For example, the pay of minsters can be determined by using a formula that takes into consideration the GDP of the country, along with the pay scale of private sector peers. Coupled with an annual review that allows wages to rise and fall within a suitable range, this could be fairer, and thus easier to justify to the people, the taxpayers who finance the Government. Yea. About sums up my argument. Apologies if my arguments are weak, and they invariably should be. Will be working on them. =)
i heard the crickets at 12:31 pm
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