by Keith Richmond
ANGRY public sector workers from all over the country marched through Manchester on Sunday to take their fight against breadline pay to the doors of the Labour Party conference.
Unite members – including low paid hospital staff, social workers and refuse collectors – were protesting as part of their continuing battle to improve a below inflation pay offer of just 2.5 per cent.
They are furious that their pay is being cut to “curb inflation” even though economists say there is no link between a decent living wage for public sector workers and a rise in the cost of living.
Derek Simpson, joint general secretary of Unite, said: “Morale in the public sector is at an all time low. Our members are angry that central government wants poorly paid public sector workers to carry the can for rising inflation. They want their employers to listen to their plea to keep them off the breadline.”
Tony Woodley, the union’s other joint general secretary, added: “Government nationally and locally must think again. It is unacceptable that in the world’s fourth richest economy we should have hundreds of thousands of workers – those who help run our hospitals, care homes and classrooms – scrimping and saving to get by while their employers bank huge savings.”
Unite wants the Labour Government to intervene to ensure all public sector workers get a decent living wage.
