UNISON and the TUC have moved their cost of living rally and lobby of Parliament to Wednesday 2 November, from 2-6pm.
The lobby was originally planned for 19 October, but has been changed because of a rescheduling of the TUC Congress.
The new date will give more time for members to set up meeting with MPs, to explain what the cost of living crisis means for them and their families, the need for a pay rise and the pressures on public services.
The rally at Methodist Central Hall that evening, from 6-8pm, will be led by frontline workers.
Both lobby and rally are part of the joint-union campaign to make the government listen and take urgent action on pay and living standards.
General secretary Christina McAnea said: “We’re using all levers at our disposal to demand better for public service workers. The government refuses to recognise their vital contribution and is failing to address the cost of living crisis.
“UNISON and the TUC are working together to change that. We want all UNISON members to contact their MPs, face to face, either locally or in London, to spell out exactly what they do to keep our public services running, and why they deserve a decent pay rise.”
When a member signs up for the lobby, using the link above, they will be contacted by the TUC and supported in booking a meeting with their MP.
UNISON will also be in touch with them, providing briefing and priority campaign messages.
If your workplace is in a different constituency to where you live, and you want to meet the MP for where you work, you can enter the postcode for your workplace on the sign-up page.
In addition to the lobby, there is also a local day of action on Friday 14 October.
This offers members the opportunity to raise cost of living issues with their MPs in their constituencies – or raise the profile of UNISON’s Cost of Living Campaign in their workplace and/or community.
The local day of action isn’t being co-ordinated, but UNISON will provide updates where the union knows that the TUC and/or other unions are organising activities across the UK on that day.
Some local trades councils might use the day to leaflet train stations and might well be in touch through the usual channels.
If it’s not possible to meet with your MP in their constituency – some will not meet campaigners on surgery days – here are some other options branches can consider:
- having a street stall in a shopping area;
- stalls in workplaces;
- a leaflet drop outside workplaces at the start and end of day, and lunchtime;
- organising a public meeting;
- sending an open letter to local paper.
Please share your branch’s plans with UNISON, by sending an email to policy@unison.co.uk.
Materials – including those for Together We Rise – are available to order from UNISON’s online shop.
