Increments vital for low-paid civil servants

I AM writing to you in relation to Fergus Finlay’s recent article (November 22).

In the article Mr Finlay raised his concerns once again on the issue of increments. He referred to increments as a wage increase “a pay sacrifice that’s not too big to ask”. You might have a look at the following:

A cleaner working in the civil service before January 1, 2010 starts on a salary of €397.64 a week before tax (€20,677.28 yearly salary before tax). This cleaner is entitled to 2 increments over the next two years which will bring them up to a salary of €433.97 a week before tax (€22,566.44 yearly salary before tax). A cleaner will then have to wait three years for their first long service increment and then another three years for their second long-term increment which will leave them with a salary of €465.35 a week before tax (€24,198.20 yearly salary before tax) this will be there total and final salary after eight years. On the table of increments for the various grades you have: