Benchmarking is not an option to end dispute

IS the Government sending a signal to the nurses’ union that if they take their claim through benchmarking, a nod-and-wink way will be found to grant it?

This should not be allowed to happen. Benchmarking has already proved to be a very expensive exercise, with large salary increases paid out for little, if any, reform of the public services or added value delivered to the public.

It is now widely accepted that the public service generally is overpaid relative to those in broadly equivalent private sector jobs.