A real recovery needs real wage rises

The economy might be growing again, but across the UK real wages are continue to fall. In the public sector, workers across local government, the NHS and the civil service don’t feel they’re about to share in the recovery any time soon.

Public sector workers are understandably angry that their pay continues to be held down. Pay rises way below the cost of living after several years of pay freezes have left family budgets stretched to the limit.

As economic pressures seem to be lifting elsewhere, the government is still insisting on keeping public sector workers’ pay down. The recovery remains some way off for our hard-working, dedicated midwives, nurses, teachers, dinner ladies and other public servants. For them several years more of financial worry and frugal living lie ahead.

The anger about unfair pay across the public sector will be manifest for all to see on Thursday 10th July when local government workers across the country hold a one-day strike along with teachers, firefighters and civil servants.

Local authorities say they have no money to pay them more because the Chancellor has cut council budgets to the bone. However, the government managed to find the cash to give the wealthy a nice tax cut, yet professes not to have the means to give hard-working public servants the pay rise they deserve.

There will be rallies taking place in Newcastle and Carlisle this Thursday where public sector workers need our support in their campaign for fair pay; their pay packets have been slashed, and half a million local government workers still earn less than the living wage.

It is hard for any worker to lose a day’s pay taking action so the decision to do so is not taken lightly; many feel this is their only recourse. It also takes courage to take strike action. The fact that this government’s actions have united so many workers to take strike action is testament to the failure of their policies. They are destroying our public services and wrecking the lives of millions.

Beth Farhat
Northern TUC Regional Secretary