Comments:
The 1% pay rise, whilst welcome, does not reflect the work that the Armed Forces have done over the past 12 months, and coupled with the rises in other areas (SFA/SLA rental and the wider economy) it results in a marked pay reduction.
We keep on being told by politicians that the economy is recovering. As a military we have been asked to do a lot more with less manpower and despite the Afghan drawdown we are still deploying more and more. With politicians looking to take a substantial rise I believe that our 1% rise on top of rises to accommodation and food etc is an insult.
We are still expected to deploy anywhere at a moment’s notice. Even though Op HERRICK has finished in name, we are still operating in Kabul and with Op SHADER we are being given more short notice detachments, often for 6 months, to more diverse places. With less people in the UK, the majority of people I know are being overworked and struggling to maintain a good work/life balance.
This is why all of the experienced RAF technicians are jumping ship. I will not be staying past my 22yr present engagement.
Equivalent civilian pay now significantly outstrips my pay leaving very little reason to remain in the RAF.
Continuing cuts to manpower and defence spending, coupled with the increase of operations (humanitarian, peacekeeping or otherwise) and contingency ops is increasing the workload on the ever decreasing existing manpower is leading to severe erosion of morale across the board. This meagre increase in wages is a kick in the teeth compared to the wage hikes seen by MPs and comparable trades in Civvy Street.
I fully understand times are hard in government but we are the continual scapegoats for their financial fumbling. How long till we are all bled dry and just leave to get a pay rise applicable with national price increases and inflation. So much for an independent AFPRB!
In relation to travel costs, the increase in daily food charges and the fact that I have to live away from my family home during the week, the 1% rise is a real drop in pay for me
Whilst inflation may be levelling out, in real terms a 1% rise continues to mean a reduction in disposable income despite more work as we reduce in numbers but not workload.
I work with a lot of civilians in the defence industry working for MOD contractors and they have had at least 3% pay rise every year for the past 4 years.
This is a pay cut. Private sector wages are rising!
With average wage increases in the private sector predicted to be 2.5% to 3% this year, the implementation of yet another 1% rise for the Military only serves to undermine the morale of the Serviceman.
The austerity is biting long and hard into the pay base when lined up against any measure you care to think of. It is not the public services’ job to sort out the deficit through sustained erosion of pay.
It may be that’s all the Government can afford (which is fair enough) but I really feel the recommendation from the AFPRB should have been more!
10
www.raf-ff.org.uk
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