surely we're missing the point in what people deserve to get paid, how they compare to others, what prices are doing etc etc.
As somebody who has only ever worked in the private sector, companies pay the least they can to get people in the door. If they're suffering recruitment problems they put wages up. Have lots of people applying, decrease or keep the wages the same.
I don't see any shortage of people wanting to join the assorted (bloated!) public service branches...