Workers continue to pay the price for the longest living standards squeeze in history

• The average worker has missed out on £14,600 in wages since 2008 compared to the pre-financial crisis trend for pay growth
• Vacancies have fallen for 20 consecutive months
• 2.7 million people are not working due to long-term sickness

Responding to today’s (Tuesday) ONS labour market figures, which show the job market weakening and high numbers of people unable to work due to long-term sickness, TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: 

“Working people are still paying the price for the Conservative government’s failures.

“Pay packets are still far smaller than they would have been without the longest living standards squeeze in history, and vacancies continue to fall. Millions of people are unable to work due to long-term sickness, while NHS waiting lists are longer than ever.

“We need a fresh start with a proper plan for jobs, growth and public services to get living standards rising again. This must include more investment in our NHS so that people can get treated faster and return to work.”