This week, our local government and school members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland hold their first one-day strike over an abysmal pay offer. Local government strike.
Faced with soaring food, fuel and housing costs, they have had to put up with three years of frozen pay, and now yet another below-inflation offer.
I would appeal to all members to show their support for our striking members by sending messages, visiting picket lines, attending rallies or making the case for better pay to friends, family and neighbours. Five ways to get involved.
And we will be joined by members of GMB and Unite. The firefighters, teachers and civil service unions are also coming out in a day of co-ordinated action.
It’s great that all our unions are working together to show solidarity and to say ‘enough is enough’.
The Tories, aided and abetted by their friends in the media, will do everything they can to rubbish the members and attack the few employment rights that we have left.
Don’t forget we already have some of the toughest strike laws in Europe.
Instead of threatening to make them even tougher, we need changes that would reduce the unfair advantage that employers have.
I again appeal to the new local government employers to get into talks with the unions to settle this dispute.
