Tim Montgomerie has waded into the remote working debate after an unnamed minister suggested people working from home should see their salary docked.
Yesterday it was announced that Google employees could see their pay cut if they switched to working from home permanently in the wake of the pandemic.
It comes after the UK government got itself into another mess over its own policy.
Number 10 was forced to step in after a Cabinet minister suggested officials who insisted on working from home could see their salaries docked.
The reported comments to the Daily Mail provoked fury from trade unions who warned of strike action if the government tried to go down that route.
Or possibly a raise to cover heating, electricity, phone and internet, using a domestic space as an office? https://t.co/3TjjCHjWMU
— Matthew Sweet (@DrMatthewSweet) August 10, 2021
One person who seems to be very much on the ‘cut their pay’ side of the argument is right-wing columnist Tim Montgomerie.
When the civil servant story broke he tweeted: ” This minister is 100% right. If you want the continued benefit of working from home then don’t expect a salary that was designed for staffers commuting into the office.”
This minister is 100% right. If you want the continued benefit of working from home then don’t expect a salary that was designed for staffers commuting into the office. https://t.co/zD7BsNlrFP
— Tim Montgomerie ?? (@montie) August 9, 2021
Reactions
Not everyone was thrilled with his comments and made their feelings heard on social media.
1.
Hear me out here, but if your staff work from home, saving you money in office rental, insurance, IT costs, utility bills, etc etc, shouldn’t they be getting a pay rise rather than a pay cut?
— Nick Pettigrew (@Nick_Pettigrew) August 9, 2021
2.
If Tim had his way, anyone bringing in a packed lunch would have their daily pay docked by the cost of a Pret meal deal https://t.co/crAg9zBHtx
— Stuart Houghton (@stuarthoughton) August 10, 2021
3.
A very mean and short-sighted tweet (like so many of yours).
— Richard Bentall #FBPE #FBPA Woke and proud! (@RichardBentall) August 10, 2021
Better for the environment; usually better for mental health. So long as a person is working effectively, what is the problem (I have been more productive since lockdown)?
4.
Yes, my salary was designed for staffers commuting into the office. In 2009 https://t.co/A3CiRth0ZW
— Sean Bernard (@seanbgoneill) August 10, 2021
5.
Capitalism and elitism both have you by the throat it seems.
— Kelechi (@kelechnekoff) August 10, 2021
6.
You are paid for the time you work. You are not paid to commute. Have you ever had a job? https://t.co/ZgPoxy7I35
— Mr Ethical (@nw_nicholas) August 10, 2021
7.
Before the pandemic, employers ascertained whether you could walk to the office from home and docked your pay accordingly. https://t.co/lgcAJ3x1ZG
— alex kealy (@alexkealy) August 10, 2021
8.
No salary is designed for staffers commuting, it is for the work produced. That’s why nobody ever asks you, or takes into account, whether it takes you 10 mins or two hours to get to work.
— Brian Moore (@brianmoore666) August 10, 2021
Spectacularly dim comment. https://t.co/jQWzZznZiC
9.
Funny because when I used to commute, I don’t recall being paid for the hour’s journey.
— Becca (@WilksBecca) August 10, 2021
I also remember being threatened with sacking at one job because I arrived at my start time, and not “ten minutes before to get settled.”
Can’t have it both ways! https://t.co/60Pf3fKxj7
10.
Remember when train fares went up by 8% so your employer gave you a pay rise? And that time your pay was negotiated based on how far you had to travel to work?
— Russ Jones (@RussInCheshire) August 10, 2021
Remember that?
No, nobody does, cos it never happened.
Salaries are not designed around commuting, you dolt. https://t.co/N3UWLVXZu1
Related: Ministers labelled ‘dinosaurs’ for wanting full-blown return to office