Pay rises in the public sector are moving ahead of increases in the private sector, new figures reveal.

The wage increases of public sector workers are running at between 3.5% and 4%.

Deals in the private sector are between 2% and 3%, according to pay analysts Incomes Data Services (IDS).

However, while some public sector workers have benefited from healthy pay increases over the last year, others are expressing greater discontent over pay.

Around 750,000 council workers - from bin men to librarians - recently staged a one-day strike, which disrupted services in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

On Monday up to 1000 members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), who work at the British Library, are expected to stage a 24-hour strike over pay.

Public sector rises

Some public sector groups have already received relatively high pay rises this year, IDS said.

These include 19.5% for trainee GPs, 7.5% for newly qualified physiotherapists and 6.5% for NHS ancillary workers.

IDS said it expected more long-term pay deals later in the year, concentrating in civil service departments and agencies.

Strike action

Council workers plan another day of strike action on 14 August and could also walkout again in September if their pay dispute is not resolved.

About 277,000 council employees currently earn less than �5 an hour.

The strike by workers at the British Library is in response to a 4% pay offer.

The lowest paid workers at the library earn between �10,000 and �15,000 a year.

Terry Adams, PCS National Officer, said: "This pay increase is an insult to our members and the valuable work that they do.

"Management should end this dispute by making an offer that addresses the issue of low pay amongst PCS members and properly rewards them for their hard work."

A spokesman for the British Library said: "The British Library values its staff and we feel strongly that we have made a good offer."