Big deal?

Why would the government expect the public sector unions to accept what amounts to a pay cut in real terms?  The Guardian reports:

Theresa May’s government faces months of strife over public sector pay after a decision to lift the 1% annual cap on increases was met with derision from Labour and renewed threats of strikes by trade unions.

Following months of pressure over the issue, Downing Street simultaneously announced above 1% pay rises for police and prison officers in the last of the 2017-18 deals, and a wider commitment to “flexibility” for all public sector workers from next year.

But Jeremy Corbyn accused the Conservatives of trying to divide and rule workers, while unions representing prison officers and police dismissed their pay rises as insufficient, with the former threatening industrial action.

May’s spokesman said a cabinet meeting on Tuesday had approved a recommendation from the independent pay review body for prison officers that they receive an average 1.7% increase, backdated to April.

After years of austerity and with annual inflation running at 2.9%, the government's pay proposals demand that public sector workers accept a lower standard of living.

Perhaps Theresa might shake that old magic money tree once again; she found enough last time to bribe the DUP to keep her in power.