It’s reasonable to grant pay raises to public sector employees. However, now that discussions are taking place about salary increases for state employees, we must also confront some harsh realities.
These issues are not the fault of public employees. Responsibility falls on successive governments, political parties, MPs, and those who hold positions of power yet fail to implement policies that benefit society as a whole.
Public sector workers should receive their pay raises, just as they received the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) a few months ago. That’s not the issue—it’s not about envy.
The problem lies with those in power, entrusted by the public with the responsibility to make decisions that shape daily life, who lack the courage and will to govern for the benefit of all citizens.
For example, how many people outside the public sector have received COLA? How can the government consider the agreement for COLA a significant achievement when it cannot ensure its extension to all workers?
Furthermore, we know that blanket provisions always favour the highest earners at the expense of vulnerable groups in society.
As a result, the wage gap widens due to these policies. This happened with COLA, and it will happen again with these new salary increases. A highly paid public employee earning €6,000–7,000 a month will receive three times the raise or more compared to a lower-paid employee.
This issue affects society at large. While the state will bear a significant financial burden from across-the-board salary increases, citizens are struggling with high costs of living.
What compensatory measures is the government considering for the end of the zero VAT rate on essential goods and the termination of electricity subsidies?
Why is this not the government’s priority? How will it ensure that workers outside the public sector can cope with their increasingly unaffordable daily lives?
It’s not the public employees’ fault. The blame lies with the short-sightedness and incompetence of those responsible for making decisions.
Their cowardice and lack of resolve to confront issues, wherever and whenever necessary, without fear of political fallout are the true problems.
During the recent session of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, MPs from the ruling parties raised the issue of improving productivity and the need for salary increases to be tied to a more efficient public service.
This is, in fact, the core of the issue. Why do we have such a sluggish state apparatus? Why is the average citizen trapped in the bureaucratic machinery, feeling that the state doesn’t serve them but instead causes unnecessary hardship when dealing with public services?
A large part of society views benefits granted to public sector employees with skepticism and distrust.
This reaction is largely justified, given most people’s experiences with public services. But why hasn’t anything changed over the years?
Why has the priority of every government been to satisfy the demands of unions rather than modernising and reforming the public service in a way that genuinely benefits society?
Yes, give the raises, but at the same time, the government and decision-makers must introduce measures to combat the high cost of living for the benefit of the entire society.
They must also show the willingness to implement structural changes in how the public service operates. The state apparatus should serve society collectively, not just cater to the interests of a few insiders.
