TUC boss fears social breakdown

<p>TUC general secretary Brendan Barber has told <i>HR</i> magazine that Britain is in danger of becoming a more polarised society if public sector-pay deals do not keep in line with inflation. </p><p>Talking to <i>HR</i> in the week 22,000 police officers marched into central London in protest at their 1.9% pay rise, he said: The Government is taking a hard line towards public-sector pay as it fears that higher salaries will raise inflation. PM Brown says he doesnt want a boom and bust economy; Im saying, I dont want to see boom and bust pay either. Its bad for recruitment and its bad for retention. </p><p>Barber said current public-sector pay deals represent a progressive cut in living standards. He added: There is the cash to increase public spending. Key workers should not be seeing pay cuts.</p>