Andy Murray has branded the 1 per cent pay rise given to NHS workers by the Government as “pathetic”.
The announcement of the 1% pay rise in March was met with widespread condemnation.
Chief Executive of the Royal College of Nursing, Dame Donna Kinnair, called the decision “pitiful and bitterly disappointing“.
Royal College of Midwives director of external relations, Jon Skewes, said it was a “derisory proposal“.
The Daily Mirror has reported that the independent NHS Pay Review Body could recommend a larger pay rise, with its report usually posted between now and July 22.
It adds that the pay body submitted its report to the government last week.
Speaking after his second round win over Oscar Otte at Wimbledon, Murray hit out at the government’s treatment of key workers, and says they deserve “a lot more” than the figure offered.
Murray said: “I think the whole country kind of realised how important they all are, and maybe hadn’t got the recognition that they probably deserve up until now.
“So yeah, it’s fantastic that they have been able to come along and watch some of the tennis.
“Hopefully they can enjoy it and yeah, hopefully the politicians can realise that they deserve more than what they are getting paid just now.
“I think, what is it, they got something like a 1% pay rise? It was pathetic.
“So yeah, they obviously deserve a lot more than that, and yeah, they have done an amazing job getting us through the pandemic.”
Prior to the first game of the tournament on Centre Court between Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper, announcers spoke of the “important work” done by key workers. That was followed by a rapturous round of applause.
Event organisers have given free tickets to hundreds of key workers throughout the tournament.
Murray through to third round
Murray certainly put on a show for those in attendance at Wimbledon yesterday.
He fell to two sets to one behind Otte, before rallying with characteristic determination to win the fourth set.
In the deciding fifth set, Murray pulled off some exceptional shots to win 6-2, and thus progress to the third round of the tournament.
He will take on 10th seed Denis Shapovalov on Friday.
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