Originally Posted by
downsizer
It's true sadly.
There is pressure to reduce the wage and pension bill even after NEM. The options range from the slightly less palatable choice of making X factor non pensionable, a sliding reduction due to other allowances, and an outright removal due to other allowances. There is talk of making it a sliding scale, paid either at a greater rate in the early part of a career (as the perception is you go away and get messed around more at the start of a career) or conversely you get none at the start and more at the end (when getting messed around might drive you out the door).
Small fly in the ointment is X factor is determined by the AFPRB, not the sS pay colonels. However that problem wouldn't be difficult to fix should they wish.
However, surely, the point is a 10-15% pay cut would be too far for anyone serving now wouldn't it? New entrants only perhaps?
Having spoken to a sS Pay Colonel about this - noting it was over a beer, and pre-SDR - I think this was part of a work stream tied to NEM that has (probably) died a death. The intention was to tie pay to type of work. You are a volunteer for short notice OpTours, take the 'hard jobs' that require buggering around, remain on the Command/Executive track: get paid everything, including full X-Factor. On the other hand, if you're in a stable 8-4 Mon - Fri Office job, stability guaranteed for 4+ years, not available for Op Tours etc, then why are we paying you X Factor?
To the best of my knowledge, this idea died a death because the Career Managers screamed about "lack of flexibility"/having to do their job. There was also concerns that too many people would opt for option B and not option A...