Emergency workers in the South West are earning thousands of pounds less in real terms this Christmas than they did five years ago, says the South West TUC.
The research, which looks at those working in hospitals and emergency services during Christmas, found that compared with real annual salaries in 2011, nurses’ pay is down £2,600, midwives’ pay is down £3,300, police officers’ pay is down £1,300, ambulance drivers’ pay is down £2,200, and firefighters’ pay is down £3,200.
Last year thousands of emergency staff worked over Christmas to provide help during the Christmas floods. In total, the TUC estimates that 900,000 people work on Christmas Day in the UK.
South West TUC regional secretary Nigel Costley said: “For most of us, Christmas is a well-earned break from the daily grind. But nearly a million people will be working on Christmas Day this year.
“Many of those keeping our streets safe and providing emergency care have seen their pay fall sharply over the past five years.
“Ministers should show some seasonal goodwill and end the real-terms pay cuts. The government’s Scrooge-like public sector pay cap has to go, to ensure that wages at least keep up with prices.”
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