HIGHWAYS ENGLAND workers are being “punished” with a below-inflation pay cap while company bosses are taking home over £100,000 a year, a union warned today.

PCS, which represents HE workers, condemned the government-owned company for imposing a 1 per cent pay cap on its staff.

This is despite not being subject to the government wage restraint rules that tie all government departments to a 1.5 per cent pay cap.

Furthermore, Freedom of Information requests from PCS have revealed that top executives at HE are earning above £100,000 a year.

The union also pointed to the fact that the company’s chief executive officer, Jim O’Sullivan, now earns more than £400,000 – or £1,103 a day.

This is a 9.7 per cent wage rise from the £366,868 Mr O’Sullivan earned last year.

The union has said that staff are considering all of their options, including taking industrial action.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “It is an outrage that our members are being punished with a de facto 1 per cent pay cap when top executives are taking home £100,000-plus.

“When you consider that management at HE are not constrained by the government’s pay cap, it is a double slap in the face for members to be punished on pay and see their own top management laughing all the way to the bank.

“HE need to negotiate a fair rise with the union and examine their whole approach by paying hard-working staff properly.”

A Highways England spokesperson said: “We have taken the step to proceed with this pay award following unsuccessful negotiations with our recognised trade unions.

“With a fixed pay budget, there was no scope to increase our offer any further.

“While this is disappointing, having spent a period of time negotiating on this we feel it is now time to move forward with payment.”