電車工資調漲將一步推高全民成本

上週 Yarra 電車同意支付電車司機高達4 年17% 的大幅度加薪。初期 Yarra 電車同意暫不反應這筆成本，然則羊毛出在羊身上， 隨著時間的推移，成本終會反應在乘客票價或全體納稅人身上。結果不是乘客需要付出更高昂的通勤成本，就是全民買單來補貼電車營運商。

最令我擔心的是每年 4.25%大幅度調薪會產生連鎖效應，這使得其它政府部門工會也想同步跟進罷工來要求類似的加薪。但問題是政府預算只夠支付每年 2.5% 的調薪，這代表多餘的調薪都可能造成資金短缺或政府再次舉債因應開銷的嚴重後果。

勞工自然有權為他們的工作爭取合理的調薪福利，但倘若政府因迫於政治利益的壓力而對獅子大開口的要求妥協，最終後果只能由全民來承擔。 若真如此，維州人民要面臨的不是裁減建設預算來因應工會福利開銷，就是徵收更高額稅收或再次舉債借錢來彌補開銷經費不足的空白。

Tram wages increase will push up costs

 Last week Yarra Trams agreed to pay tram drivers a 17% pay rise over four years.

 Although Yarra Trams will bear this cost to start with, over time it will lead to commuters paying higher public transport fares or taxpayers paying for higher subsidies to transport operators.

 As well, I am concerned that this 4¼% a year pay rise will be used by public sector unions to demand similar pay rises for their members. The State budget has only given departments enough money to pay for pay rises of 2½% a year, so any increase above that, without productivity savings, will leave departments short of money.

 Workers are entitled to fair and reasonable pay rises for the work they do, but if the government gives in to huge wage demands due to political pressure, Victorians will end up suffering cuts to services or infrastructure, higher taxes, or higher debt and interest bills