Resources 11 Pay and working time

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Resources 11
Pay and working time

Trade union surveys, in both water and energy, suggest that there is no general pattern of privatised water or energy employers offering markedly better or worse conditions than public sector employers. However, the privatised UK utility companies have increased their directors' pay substantially.

Energy

Evidence from a PSI survey of pay and conditions in 1995 suggests that there is no consistent difference between private and public sector pay and conditions across different countries.

Pay

In 1995 PSI carried out a survey of the pay and conditions of energy workers in western and eastern Europe. The survey showed, not surprisingly, that there was a considerable gulf between western Europe on the one hand, and central and eastern Europe on the other hand.

Within western Europe, there was also a wide range of pay rates. The rates reported are basic rates, and so do not necessarily reflect total earnings. Overall, the private sector rates appear to be slightly higher than the public sector rates, but there is no consistent pattern.

Table: Pay rates in electricity industry 1995, western Europe, clerical workers

Ranked by minimum rate. Private sector agreements in italics

Agreement no.	PUB(lic) or PR(ivate)	Minimum basic rate (ECU)	Maximum basic rate (ECU)
1	PR	32,675.44	53,587.72
2	PR	24,189.45	24,189.45
3	PUB	23,617.04	26,389.08
4	PR	21,961.44	32,942.16
5	PR	21,279.41	34,472.07
6	PUB	19,261.64
7	PUB	18,570.82	24,550.17
8	PUB	16,867.92	27,410.38
9	PR	16,281.85	17,543.55
10	PUB	15,134.14	22,953.74
11	PR	15,127.10	17,958.10
12	PUB	15,015.18	19,521.74
13	PUB	14,345.91	26,261.25
14	PR	14,186.17	22,981.49
15	PR	13,670.75	17,302.02
16	PUB	13,519.34	14,344.46
17	PR	13,352.32	17,168.65
18	PUB	12,866.01	16,732.98
19	PUB	12,002.78	17,440.55
20	PUB	11,944.63	43,099.17
21	PUB	11,175.00	18,625.00
22	PUB	8,100.18	13,545.45

Source: PSI/PSPRU survey

Working time

The PSI survey also covered working hours. The number of hours worked per year in western Europe was less in nearly all countries than in central and eastern Europe, especially for white-collar workers.

The table shows the range of different working hours and holidays in western Europe, in order of annual hours worked with basic holiday entitlement. The figures suggest that the private sector agreements have slightly shorter working hours, but there is no consistent pattern. The shortest working week was in a public sector agreement, and the shortest annual hours, with maximum holidays, were also in a public sector industry.

Table : Hours and holidays in electricity industry, western Europe, 1995, clerical workers Ranked by annual hours worked with basic holiday entitlement. Private sector in italics.

Agr no.	PUBlic or PRivate	Weekly hours		Public Holidays		Basic holidays		Maximum Holidays		Annual hours (basic hols)		Annual hours (max hols)
1	PR	38	11		33		38		1649.2		1611.2
2	PUB	36.25	11		19		26		1674.75		1624
3	PR	38	10		30		31		1679.6		1672
4	PR	37	8		26		31		1679.8		1642.8
5	PR	37	8		25		33		1687.2		1628
6	PR	37	8		25		25		1687.2		1687.2
7	PUB	38	11		27		27		1694.8		1694.8
8	PUB	38.25	9		30		45		1698.3		1583.55
9	PR	37	8		22		25		1709.4		1687.2
10	PUB	38	10		24		24		1725.2		1725.2
11	PUB	37.5	9		21		26		1732.5		1695
12	PUB	40	12		25		30		1792		1752
13	PUB	40	10		25		32		1808		1752
14	PR	41	10		20		30		1894.2		1812.2

Source: PSI/PSPRU survey 1995
Pay

In 1994 PSI carried out a survey of the pay and conditions of water workers in western and eastern Europe. The survey showed, not surprisingly, that there was a considerable gulf between western Europe on the one hand, and central and eastern Europe on the other hand.

Table: Pay rates in water industry 1994, western Europe, clerical workers

Converted to ECUs at 1994 rates. Ranked by minimum rate. Private sector agreements in italics

Agreement no.	PUB(lic) or PR(ivate)	Minimum annual basic rate (ECU)	Maximum annual basic rate (ECU)
1	PR	15,196.83	21,895.83
2	PR	14,625.77	36,564.42
3	PUB	13,968.75	27,006.25
4	PR	12,459.52	31,185.46
5	PUB	12,258.73	16,053.41
6	PR	12,066.26
7	PR	11,895.97	11,895.97
8	PUB	11,452.07	20,071.90
9	PR	10,833.74	14,657.27
10	PUB	10,430.00	12,775.55
11	PUB	8,745.34	14,549.13
12	PR	8,395.67	13,226.15
13	PR	8,395.67	39,631.60
14	PUB	8,324.77	11,807.05
15	PUB	1,834.91	2,105.31

Working time

The table shows the range of working hours in agreements in western Europe, ranked in order of annual hours worked on basic holiday entitlement. The figures show that private sector agreements tend to have shorter working hours, but again, there is no consistent pattern. For example, the shortest working week and the shortest working year are both in a public sector agreement. The same is true within countries, where the sector is divided between private and public employers. In both Spain and the UK, the working hours of public sector workers compare favourably with those of private operators.

Table : Hours and holidays in water industry, western Europe, 1994, clerical workers Ranked by annual hours worked with basic holiday entitlement. Private sector in italics.

Agr no.	PUBlic or Private	Weekly hours	Public Holidays	Basic holidays	Maximum Holidays	Annual hours (basic hols)	Annual hours (max hols)
1	PUB	35.64	10	25	25	1610.928	1610.928
2	PR	36	11	25	25	1620	1620
3	PR	37	11	29	32	1635.4	1613.2
4	PR	36.9	10	29	29	1638.36	1638.36
5	PUB	38	10	30	30	1679.6	1679.6
6	PUB	37	12	22	30	1679.8	1620.6
7	PR	37	8	24	27	1694.6	1672.4
8	PR	37	9	23	27	1694.6	1665
9	PUB	37	7	25	25	1694.6	1694.6
10	PUB	37	10	21	25	1702	1672.4
11	PR	37	8	22	27	1709.4	1672.4
12	PR	37.5	8	24	28	1717.5	1687.5
13	PUB	37.5	10	21	26	1725	1687.5
14	PUB	38	9	24	45	1732.8	1573.2
15	PUB	38	10	23	23	1732.8	1732.8
16	PUB	38	10	21	30	1748	1679.6
17	PUB	38	6	25	31	1748	1702.4
18	PR	39	11	25	25	1755	1755
19	PUB	40	11	25	32	1800	1744
20	PR	41	10	26	26	1845	1845
21	PUB	40	15	15	31	1848	1720

Source: PSI/PSPRU survey