Latest news with #payhike
BreakingNews.ie
a day ago
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
€23k pay increase approved for new chief executive of Housing Agency
A pay hike of over €23,000 was approved for the new chief executive of the Housing Agency after negotiations between two government departments. The post was meant to be filled with a starting package of €161,593 per year, the first point on the assistant secretary salary scale of the civil service. Advertisement However, the Housing Agency said their preferred candidate had been paid a higher salary than that in his previous role in the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA). They argued that their new chief executive, Martin Whelan, should start at €184,852 per year, the fourth and final point on the agreed salary scale. The Department of Public Expenditure said that based on his 'substantial knowledge and experience' and his previous salary, they would have 'no objection' to the higher package. Internal records detail how the Housing Agency was left without a chief executive when their previous boss Bob Jordan resigned in September last year after a three-month notice period. Advertisement An email from the Department of Housing said: 'Given the short lead in time to Mr. Jordan's resignation there is an urgency in commencing the recruitment process. 'It may be a case that an interim CEO will be required for a number of months as it is imperative that the work and consequential outputs of the Housing Agency is uninterrupted while the substantive CEO process is ongoing.' In response, the Department of Public Expenditure said they had no objection to a person being appointed on an acting basis if the need arose. They said the full-time appointment should be made on the assistant secretary level which begins at €161,593 per year and with no perks permitted under government policy. Advertisement In November, the Housing Agency said they had found a candidate for the role but submitted a business case to seek a higher starting pay rate. It said that while Martin Whelan was 'enthusiastic about the role,' he had 'requested a review of the remuneration package.' The business case said: '[His] current salary at the NTMA is [redacted] which contrasts with the €163,209 at the first point of the assistant secretary grade. 'To address this and to reflect the level of experience and expertise Mr Whelan will bring, the Agency proposes appointing him at the top of the assistant secretary scale, €186,701.' Advertisement It said a committee led by the chair of the Housing Agency fully supported it and believed it was a 'prudent and necessary investment.' As part of the business case, the Department of Housing said they also agreed that Mr Whelan should start on the higher rate of pay. There were further discussions with details sought on how many people had applied and how many were considered suitable for the role. In mid-November, the Department of Housing said they were hoping for a final decision as the matter was now 'very urgent and impacting the business of the [Housing] Agency.' On November 29th, an email from the Department of Public Expenditure said they had closely considered the case and the candidate's previous experience. 'Taking into account his current salary in the NTMA, [we] would have no objection to the Housing Agency negotiating a salary up to the fourth point of the assistant secretary scale,' said the message. Asked about the records, the Department of Public Expenditure said they had nothing further to add.
Japan Times
a day ago
- Business
- Japan Times
Central government workers to get a pay bump of at least 3%, sources say
Central government workers are likely to get a monthly pay hike of at least 3%, the biggest increase in 34 years, sources said Monday. The National Personnel Authority, which makes recommendations for wage changes for national public servants, has found it necessary to raise their salaries by 3% or more to bridge the wage gap with private-sector workers, who have been enjoying robust pay increases amid labor shortages, people familiar with the matter said. Bonus payments are likely to be raised as well, marking simultaneous hikes in monthly salaries and bonuses for a fourth year in a row, they added. The authority, which is expected to make this year's recommendation next month, expanded the scope of its survey to compare wages between employees at central government agencies and private companies. The upcoming proposal will reflect this move's wage-increasing effects. Last year, the authority called for raising monthly salaries by 2.76% and bonuses by 0.1 month's salary.
CTV News
5 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Possible pay raise proposal for Ottawa city councillors
Some Ottawa councillors consider proposing and up to 30 per cent pay hike. CTV's Shaun Vardon has reaction from the mayor and other city staff opposed to the idea, and from reaction from residents.
The Sun
20-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Southern Water's boss slammed by Environment Secretary for accepting £691,000 pay hike
ENVIRONMENT Secretary Steve Reed yesterday slammed Southern Water's boss for accepting a £691,000 pay hike. Lawrence Gosden, who has run the embattled utility firm since 2022, was awarded the 'long-term incentive' scheme on top of his £687,000 salary. 2 Despite only receiving half the bumper bonus so far, Mr Gosden's total earnings have soared past the £1million mark. Steve Reed said the that the payout was 'not deserved' and 'sends the wrong message' as customer trust plummets. He said: 'Trust is at rock bottom. ' Southern Water hasn't performed well enough for that kind of pay. 'He should give it up.' The backlash comes just weeks after Southern Water was banned from paying bonuses following a sewage spill in the New Forest, an environmental breach known as a category one incident. Under new government rules, firms that pollute or fail to meet standards can't dish out bonuses. But Southern Water has insisted Mr Gosden's payout isn't a 'bonus' but part of a performance-linked scheme launched in 2023. Doubling Compensation for Water Issues: Government's Big Move 2
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
NHS faces summer chaos as doctors announce five-day walkout
Resident doctors will strike later this month for five days of industrial action, designed to bring hospitals to a standstill. Thousands of medics - previously known as junior doctors - demanding pay hikes of up to 29 per cent will walk out from July 25 to July 30. British Medical Association (BMA) bosses claimed they had 'no choice but to call strikes' after the Government had failed to make a 'credible offer' to 'restore pay'. More than 26,000 resident doctors voted in favour of strike action on Tuesday, while just under 3,000 voted against. The medics have already taken industrial action 11 times since 2022, crippling services and forcing health bosses to cancel an estimated 1.5million appointments. They were offered a 5.4 per cent pay rise in May following a review of public sector pay. The increase, recommended by an independent pay review body, was above the rate of inflation, which jumped to 3.5 per cent in April, the highest since January 2024. But union leaders labelled the uplift an 'insult to doctors' and said a pay lift of 29.2 per cent was vital to reverse 'pay erosion' since 2008. BMA resident doctors committee co-chairs Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt today said: 'We met Wes Streeting (pictured) yesterday and made every attempt to avoid strike action by opening negotiations for pay restoration. Unfortunately, the Government has stated that it will not negotiate on pay, wanting to focus on non-pay elements without suggesting what these might be. Without a credible offer to keep us on the path to restore our pay, we have no choice but to call strikes. No doctor wants to strike, and these strikes don't have to go ahead. If Mr Streeting can seriously come to the table in the next two weeks we can ensure that no disruption is caused. The Government knows what is needed to avert strikes. The choice is theirs.' He said: 'I wrote to the BMA this morning to offer to meet their committee and work with them to improve the working lives of resident doctors. Instead of talking, they've announced strikes. No trade union in British history has seen its members receive a 28.9 per cent pay rise only to immediately respond with strikes, and the majority of BMA resident doctors didn't vote to strike. This is completely unreasonable. The NHS recovery is hanging by a thread, and the BMA are threatening to pull it. The BMA should abandon their rush to strike and work with us to improve resident doctors working lives instead.' A recent YouGov poll also found 48 per cent of Britons oppose resident doctors going on strike, while 39 per cent support them taking action. YouGov said this 'marks a shift in opinion' of public support of striking junior doctors last summer, when the majority of Britons—52 per cent—said they supported the action. The five day action also threatens to undermine Sir Keir Starmer's key ambition to cut waiting lists and could leave the government's new 10 Year Health Plan, unveiled last week, in tatters. NHS bosses yesterday revealed they were dreading the prospect of the strikes, warning they would lead to tens, if not hundreds of thousands of operations and procedures being delayed or cancelled, 'leaving patients in pain or discomfort'. Hospital consultants, who are currently being balloted on strike action, have already threatened to join resident doctors on the picket lines, if they too vote in favour of action. Last September BMA resident doctor members voted to accept a Government pay deal worth 22.3 per cent on average over two years. The review of public sector pay in May also saw resident doctors given a 4 per cent uplift plus £750 'on a consolidated basis' - working out as an average pay rise of 5.4 per cent. The BMA call for a 29.2 per cent raise is based on Retail Prices Index (RPI) inflation, the measure of average changes in the price of goods and services used by most households. There are around 77,000 resident doctors in England who work in various settings from GP surgeries to hospitals. Resident doctor is a catch-all term for all doctors in training ranging from graduates to medics with a decade of experience.
