Tory ministers face mounting calls to raise 5.7million public sector workers’ pay as the gap with private firms hits one of the biggest ever.
Public sector wages grew just 2.7% in the past year - while private sector wages rose 6.9%, official figures show today.
The Office for National Statistics said it was “among the largest differences… we have seen.”
Overall regular wages, excluding bonuses, rose by 6.1% - a record outside Covid.
But they still fell by 3.9% in real terms as they were outstripped by rocketing prices.
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It comes as workers in hundreds of public sector bodies including NHS hospitals, ambulance trusts, Border Force, DWP offices and driving test centres all go on strike as Tory ministers refuse to reopen pay talks.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “There isn’t a bottomless pit of taxpayers’ money to throw at the problem.”
But Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the figures showed it was "absurd" to blame staff for striking after a "dire year for UK workers".
She said: "Month after month wages are playing catch-up.
“Profiteering must be tackled and pay raised. Austerity Mark 2 will lead us to a devastating recession.”
Meanwhile the number of working days lost to strike action hit 417,000 in October - the highest in more than a decade.
The wage growth is measured by comparing figures in August, September and October to a similar three-month period last year.
TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "2022 has been the worst year for real wage growth in nearly half a century. We are now on the brink of a damaging recession with the threat of one million lost jobs.
"Ministers must act now to put money in people's pockets - starting with boosting the minimum wage and giving our public sector workers a pay rise to match the cost of living."
RCN General Secretary Pat Cullen said: “This is yet more compelling evidence of why ministers are wrong to turn their backs on nursing. With public sector salaries lagging so far behind those in the private sector it’s unsurprising that nurses can’t make ends meet. And that’s on top of a decade of real-terms pay cuts.”
Employment Minister Guy Opperman said: “This government will always take steps to make sure work pays. We have already cut the Universal Credit taper rate and increased the work allowance, so claimants can keep more of their hard-earned money.”
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said: “With job vacancies at near record highs, we are committed to helping people back into work, and helping those in employment to raise their incomes, progress in work, and become financially independent.”
But Lib Dem Treasury spokesperson Sarah Olney said: "This is just the tip of the iceberg with families facing a nightmarish interest rate rise in just 48 hours time.
"A cost of living triple whammy of mortgage hikes, energy bills and tax rises is hitting Britain hard this winter, despite public services crumbling and coming to a near standstill due to this Government's incompetence.”
Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Jonathan Ashworth added: “Twelve years of Conservative failure on the economy has left working people with falling wages, employment lower than pre-pandemic and record numbers of people out of work for reasons of ill-health - costing billions more in benefit payments.”
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