They have a major problem on their hands .
We have already had the private sector recession, the public sector troubles are still to come, and I think they know it. Some will have the attitude to "mind your arse doesnt get cought with the door slamming on the way out" but if we see 2, potentially 3 years of public sector pay freezes combined with high inflation and cut work expenses, we are going to see a pretty mammoth head for the exits. I dont think 50K post tax will keep them in either, as after the pay freeze, will it be worth sticking round for with an expanding private sector?
We all know what is happening with the airlines. Many of the boomer generation, senior airline pilots are set to retire over the next 5 years, whilst the mob will be looking to cut back. If I were a betting man, I forsee us bleeding too many people to the private sector over the next 3 years and being back in the situation we found ourselves in during 2004-05.
The scale of the deficit is horrendous. We are going to have to take some pain, of that I have no doubt. But by cutting expenses such as Home to duty will do liitle else than push people out faster than they already are planning to go. Fine at the mo with people planning to stay, but command should know, loyalty is a 2 way street, and after 9 years in, I am starting to see there is a wider world than getting dick danced around by poor conditions and relatively poor pay compared to the private sector.