‘Anger at hands being tied for directors’ salary increases’ – McGreevy
SDLP Group Leader on Newry and Mourne District Council, Connaire McGreevy, has called for root and branch reform of senior management salaries within Newry and Mourne Council.
Following the monthly meeting of the Council on 6 June, Cllr McGreevy said: “As public elected representatives we have one hand, if not two, tied behind our backs when it comes to staff remuneration. Job reviews are carried out by external consultants, not on the person, but on the tasks involved in the job and this often leads to increases in salary as the way of doing a job changes with technology. Councillors of all parties were given advice from solicitors that we should accept the findings of the external consultant report and that directors’ pay should be backdated in line with the Single Status Agreement that goes back six years.”
“When our ratepayers are having to tighten their household spending, and indeed many are losing their jobs, it is morally wrong that our senior management team are getting bumper rises in backdated pay.”
He added, “Given the fact our hands are tied currently, we must draw a line here in this decision and state categorically that the final decisions on all future job evaluations, and indeed the top line salary of posts within councils, will be at the discretion of elected public representatives.”
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