Why should wages rise above the rate of inflation? Surely that's the only sound reason for an annual increase, to maintain the rate of income generally to match the cost of living. That's assuming the rate of inflation quoted is accurate of course. If you want more pay then it should be either from an agreement or by moving to a different employer. What we should be doing is making sure it's applied generally, even to politicians, with shareholders demanding company pay scales that genuinely reflect the value of performance and responsibility.
