Public sector wages row

Published on 04/09/2012 12:00

UNIONS today hit out at calls from a think tank for national pay bargaining in the public sector to be scrapped.

Policy Exchange – described as David Cameron’s favourite think tank – said the move would save more than £6 billion a year that could be used to create new jobs. It claimed 37,000 new jobs could result in Scotland.

But Dave Watson, Unison’s head of bargaining, branded the proposal “regurgitated dross”. He said different pay rates in some parts of the couuntry would damage the economy and hit services.