Prospect have reacted to reports that MHKs are seeking to evade reforms to public sector pay. MHKs, currently linked to civil service pay and pay scales, are seeking to escape cuts to pay as a result of new terms for new starters.

Prospect represent a broad range of over 2000 public sector staff including admin, technical, manual, health, social care and energy workers, and have led on this issue.

Angela Moffatt, Negotiations Officer for Prospect said:

“Prospect led on this issue and our members voted through millions of pounds of savings on an ongoing basis – and now MHKs want to be exempted from this?

It’s bad enough they won’t lead on these issues – but now they won’t even follow?"

New entrants to the Public Service in civil service and manual worker roles since 1 April 2016 have a new salary and conditions package which will see substantial cuts to pay, sickness and holidays. Prospect say it’s a double standard that cannot continue.

”They already get preferential treatment over pensions and if reform goes through will get to pay more to keep their ludicrously OTT Pension. Everyone else will just pay more, get less and work longer.

And apparently it’s okay for lawmakers to be lawbreakers these days too – how is Tony Wild still in a job when numerous public sector workers have been sacked for less over the last few months?

It’s more double standards and hypocrisy from the ‘old boys club.

We’ll continue to try and resolve this, but we are reaching a point where this double standard could start to completely erode good industrial relations and further reform.’”