Tom, I too work for the public sector and have just had my 2.5% (1% below inflation) pay rise enforced on me, 7 months late (and suprisingly all the senior management had like 7% on time.........). I know how you feel. You work your guts out doing something that you hope will do some good and change things for the better. In fact, my union has just had a strike - the first in 25 years (google that and figure out who I work for), but I doubt that will make any difference (apart from COSTING me a day's wages). Wasn't it Nelson that said "Don't mess with either a man's pay or food" (I think it was something like that anyway!).