norfolk....
At the risk of repeating myself endlessly (read post 198 - why do I bother), when you say "...it is not allowed to be above the rate of inflation....", WHAT RATE OF INFLATION ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, AND WHEN?
2% is the governments TARGET for the rate of inflation, not any particular rate (RPI, CPI) at the moment. Further to show your point is not valid, last year's pay rise was 2.6% on basic pay, and the governments TARGET rate of inflation then was also 2%!! So we have already had a pay rise above the governments target once, and it was only last year.....!!!