Like many public sector workers, TfGM staff suffered three years of pay freezes from 2010-2012, followed by years of below-inflation pay ‘rises’. In 2024 the unions’ pay campaign started to turn the tide, with above-inflation pay rises for the lowest paid staff, but this still leaves a long way to go.
Between April 2009 and February 2025 (the latest figures), average prices rose 86% according to the Retail Price Index (RPI). Meanwhile average regular earnings (i.e. not including overtime, bonuses etc) in the whole economy rose by 62% to January 2025 (the latest figures). Last year TfGM staff decided that enough was enough. But despite the 2024 increases, no pay band has kept up with either average earnings or inflation.
2024 showed that if more TfGM staff join the unions and get involved, we can stop the drop. Together we won dramatic improvements on standby payments and parental rights, and made a start at addressing the erosion of pay for lower-paid staff. We need to build on that in 2025.
The table below shows how much employees at each level have lost out over the last 15 years.
| Band | Point | JNC point | 2009 pay | 2024 pay | Increase needed to catch up with average earnings | Increase needed to catch up with inflation |
| 2 | 1 | 14 | £15,868 | £24,960 | 3% | 18% |
| 2 | 15 | £16,504 | £25,557 | 5% | 20% | |
| 3 | 16 | £17,161 | £26,075 | 7% | 23% | |
| 4 | 17 | £17,850 | £26,744 | 8% | 24% | |
| 3 | 1 | 17 | £17,850 | £26,744 | 8% | 24% |
| 2 | 18 | £18,564 | £27,219 | 11% | 27% | |
| 3 | 19 | £19,304 | £28,069 | 12% | 28% | |
| 4 | 1 | 19 | £19,304 | £28,069 | 12% | 28% |
| 2 | 20 | £20,076 | £28,956 | 13% | 29% | |
| 3 | 21 | £20,881 | £29,881 | 13% | 30% | |
| 5 | 1 | 21 | £20,881 | £29,881 | 13% | 30% |
| 2 | 22 | £21,714 | £30,836 | 14% | 31% | |
| 3 | 23 | £22,587 | £31,840 | 15% | 32% | |
| 4 | 24 | £23,489 | £32,876 | 16% | 33% | |
| 5 | 25 | £24,427 | £33,955 | 17% | 34% | |
| 6 | 1 | 25 | £24,427 | £33,955 | 17% | 34% |
| 2 | 26 | £25,406 | £35,079 | 18% | 35% | |
| 3 | 27 | £26,420 | £36,242 | 18% | 36% | |
| 4 | 28 | £27,474 | £37,455 | 19% | 37% | |
| 5 | 29 | £28,579 | £38,723 | 20% | 37% | |
| 7 | 1 | 31 | £30,909 | £40,650 | 23% | 42% |
| 2 | 32 | £31,835 | £41,714 | 24% | 42% | |
| 3 | 33 | £32,790 | £42,812 | 24% | 43% | |
| 4 | 34 | £33,771 | £43,938 | 25% | 43% | |
| 5 | 35 | £34,788 | £45,107 | 25% | 44% | |
| 8 | 1 | 37 | £36,907 | £47,539 | 26% | 45% |
| 2 | 38 | £38,013 | £48,812 | 26% | 45% | |
| 3 | 39 | £39,155 | £50,124 | 27% | 46% | |
| 4 | 40 | £40,331 | £51,473 | 27% | 46% | |
| 5 | 41 | £41,539 | £52,866 | 28% | 46% | |
| 9 | 1 | 44 | £45,392 | £57,770 | 28% | 46% |
| 2 | 45 | £46,755 | £59,506 | 28% | 46% | |
| 3 | 46 | £48,156 | £61,289 | 28% | 46% | |
| 4 | 47 | £49,605 | £63,134 | 28% | 46% | |
| 5 | 48 | £51,093 | £65,024 | 28% | 46% | |
| 10 | 1 | £70,906 | ||||
| 2 | £73,034 | |||||
| 3 | £75,222 | |||||
| 4 | £77,481 | |||||
| 5 | £79,805 | |||||
| 11 | 1 | £87,205 | ||||
| 2 | £89,819 | |||||
| 3 | £92,514 | |||||
| 4 | £95,291 | |||||
| 5 | £98,152 |
No wonder so many TfGM staff are struggling. A UNISON survey earlier this year showed that 36% of members at TfGM are struggling to meet mortgage/rent costs, 49% have taken out additional loans or credit cards to make ends meet, 76% have no access to savings, and 29% had had to prioritise bills over buying food.
In this context, our claim for 5% plus RPI inflation (which was 3.4% in the year to February 2025) for everyone is very reasonable. If you aren’t yet in a union, please join today. If you aren’t yet ready to join, you can still sign up for updates.