Asking a question during Home Office questions today, Emma Hardy MP, Hull West and Hessle, called on the Government to lift the public sector pay cap and provide more money to give emergency service workers a pay rise.
Emma told the Minister that she had met with the Humberside fire chief a couple of weeks ago and was told that he knows firefighters deserve a pay rise but he is deeply concerned that his budget will not be increased to cover it.
There are 3,520 fire, police and ambulance workers in Hull and East Yorkshire and the public sector pay cap has meant that the salaries of full time staff has fallen by 6% in real terms since 2011.
Emma said:
“Even if the Secretary of State does concede to pressure and lift the pay cap none of the public sector can afford to pay it!
“Despite all their warm words towards our emergency service workers, Theresa May and her government has consistently cut their real terms salaries since taking office in 2010. These pay cuts, along with other budget cuts to the police, ambulances and fire service, have made us less safe – as the latest crime figures have shown.”