New research from the TaxPayers' Alliance details the extent of the costly divide that is opening up between public and private sectors, and reveals the Top Ten Non Jobs of 2008. With the onset of an economic downturn, spending is being cut back and jobs are being lost. But there are signs that the public sector is nottightening its belt in order to deal with these more difficult times. Public sector staff are paid more than their equivalents in the private sector, public sector employment is rising and there is continued creation of non-jobs. The full report can be found here (PDF).
Key Findings
- Average pay in 2008 was £21,413 in the public sector against £20,715 in the private sector. Pay in the public sector was therefore 3.4 per cent higher.
- Since 2000, pay in the public sector has grown by 37.1 per cent whereas pay in the private sector has grown by 30.5 per cent.
- In the third quarter of 2008, public sector employment increased by 14,000 whereas private sector employment decreased by 128,000.
- Public sector staff take more time off work sick. The average public sector worker took nine days off, against less than six days in the private sector.
- Public sector organisations are still recruiting for a large number of jobs of dubious value, these are non-jobs. The report includes the TaxPayers' Alliance's Top Ten Non Jobs of 2008, which are:
- Street Football Coordinator: Moray Council, Salary: £19,887- European Programme Policy Officer: Advantage West Midlands, Salary: £29,687 - £37,109
- Community Space Challenger Co-ordinator: Southwark Council, Salary: £28,494 - £33,777
- Head of Communities and Partnership: Charnwood Borough Council, Salary: £34,991 - £37,543
- Enviro-Crime Enforcement Officer: Lambeth Council, Salary: £29,241 – £30,774
- Equality and Diversity Manager: East Kent Hospitals University NHS Trust, Salary: £29,091 - £38,352
- Communications and Strategy Manager: Allerdale Borough Council, Salary: £34,991 - £37,543
- Public Affairs Manager: East of England Development Agency, Salary: £40,304 - £45,189
- Head of Participation and Inclusion: Hertfordshire County Council, Salary: £38,729 - £42,197
- Climate Change Manager: Braintree Council, Salary: £34,542 - £38,556
Full details of each of the Top Ten Non-Jobs, along with scanned job adverts, are included in the full report, which can be found here. High resolution copies of the job adverts are also available on request.
Matthew Elliott, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said:
"In times of economic hardship it is vitally important that the public sector tightens its belt, just as families are having to. With the public finances in such a mess, taxpayers' can't afford for quangos and councils to splash out on 'non-jobs' that would be an indulgence even in the economic good times."
"In times of economic hardship it is vitally important that the public sector tightens its belt, just as families are having to. With the public finances in such a mess, taxpayers' can't afford for quangos and councils to splash out on 'non-jobs' that would be an indulgence even in the economic good times."