UNIONS have attacked the Government for making an "empty gesture" on public sector pay.

The Treasury published letters from the Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss to the chairmen of the Pay Review Bodies.

The letters state: "The last spending review budgeted for a 1% average increase ... there will still be a need for pay discipline over the coming years ... however, the Government recognises that in some parts of the public sector, particularly in areas of skill shortage, more flexibility may be required ... including in return for improvements to public sector productivity".

GMB national secretary for public services Rehana Azam said: "This cynical and empty gesture shows that the Conservatives still don't get it.

"Publishing these letters on the eve of Conservative Party Conference are intended to give Theresa May a soundbite to appease her own mutinous backbenchers - they do not provide the plan that our underpaid and overstretched workers need.

"Pushing forward with slightly less harsh cuts for a small minority of public sector workers will do nothing to win back the trust and goodwill that has been lost.

"Today's announcement also does nothing for the low-paid majority of teaching assistants, local authority workers, police support staff and other public sector workers who are not covered by a pay review body.

"Public sector workers already cost Theresa May her majority in June and today's announcement will do nothing to ease the political pain.

"GMB will not stop fighting until every last member of our union has received the real pay rises they need and deserve."

Unions are campaigning for an end to the 1% cap on pay for all public sector workers.

The Government recently announced that police and prison officers would receive pay rises above 1%.

Unite assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail said: "It's time to properly fund all our public services so the public gets the services they deserve and our public servants the pay rise they need.

"After seven years of real-term pay cuts, wages have fallen by as much as 21% for many public servants.

"All the while, Tory cuts have ripped through our communities and public services we all rely on from cradle to the grave.

"There can be no pick and mix by Tory ministers between deserving and undeserving public sector workers, nor should they rob Peter to pay Paul to give our public servants the decent pay rise they need.

"Our public servants need a decent pay rise that is paid for by additional money from the Treasury, not the austerity-ravaged budgets of our public services."