This week, I will be taking UNISON’s case for fair pay to the heart of the Labour Party at its annual conference in Manchester.
Our members’ pay has lost its value year after year under this coalition government. They, and Britain, desperately need a pay rise.
Local government and school members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have already been on strik and will be again in October. Food Standards Agency members have have also been on strike.
Our health members in England have voted for action and further ballots are under way among health workers in Wales and in other services.
And we will be joined in this struggle by sister unions when we take action next month, leading up to the TUC national demonstration on Saturday 18 October.
It’s a scandal that the lowest local government pay points will fall below the national minimum wage on 1 October, while, at the same time, the richest in our nation continue to increase their wealth.
It’s great that Ed Miliband has pledged to raise the statutory national minimum wage by £1.50 an hour over the lifetime of the next Labour government.
We want employers, both public and private, to do the right thing by their workforce and make sure they are paid decently.
