Public sector wages almost 20% higher than private sector
Public sector workers earn almost a fifth more than people employed with private firms, it emerged today.
Official figures showed an average gap in wages of 19% between the sectors after qualifications, service and age are considered.
Staff in the private sector also worked an average 35 hours a week compared to 32.7 in the public sector, according to the Central Statistics Office.
Impact trade union said the data was entirely flawed as the CSO could not compare real jobs in each sector and ignored pension, health and income levies.
Deputy general secretary Shay Cody hit back: “It’s impossible to take them seriously.”
Impact maintained the CSO and ESRI had published four different sets of wage gap figures – ranging from 19% to 47% – using the same data since July.
“Obviously they can’t all be right, but the fact is that none of them are right because none of them are based on a comparison of jobs in the public and private sector,” Mr Cody said.
CSO figures released in July revealed public sector workers were earning 47.6% more an hour and taking home an extra €200 a week in their wage packet.
But an analysis of the national employment survey 2007, which compared the characteristics of public and private jobs, found:
* Public sector employees are paid on average 19.1% more than private sector employees – that’s 14.8% for men and 22.9% for women.
* The wage gap fell to 12.6% for permanent full-time employees aged 25 to 59.
* Men and women’s pay differences were smaller – 9.2% more an hour for men in the public service compared with 24% in the private.
* The lowest-paid public sector workers earned 25.7% more than private, with the difference dropping to 11.4% for the biggest earners.
* Public sector workers were generally older and with their current employer for longer.
* 11.6% of employees in the private sector were managers compared with 3% in the public sector.
The CSO confirmed many jobs could not be compared, like gardaí, prison officers, members of the defence forces and those associated with sales. Agriculture, forestry and fishing industries were also excluded from the survey.
The data, recorded two years ago, was released as unions mounted a national campaign against further pay and job cuts.
Impact is balloting members for strike action if Government imposes another cut in public service pay while Siptu has served a 3.5% pay claim on the Health Service Executive on behalf of 34,000 health workers.
Meanwhile Congress has planned a national day of action on November 6 against possible budget, pay, pension and service cuts.
Impact said the 2007 figures do not take into account a public service pay freeze, the pensions levy, and incomes for self-employed professionals.
“Most public servants work hard for modest incomes,” added Mr Cody.
“Every one of them has suffered a pay cut averaging 7.5% just six months ago and they are not going to accept another pay cut.”
