When I was in local government (70s) there was a move by NALGO, their union, to abandon incremental points (usually 4 levels in each grade then, before the spinal scale) on the grounds that the top level was "the rate for the job" and everyone on that band should be paid at that rate. Employers did n ot agree and, ISTR, suggested that "the rate" was the lowest point on the scale, and everyone should get that.........unsurprisingly the whole idea went quiet!