Today, I’m in Derby with UNISON members – school support staff, absolute magnificent members doing our union proud – who have lost a quarter of their salaries. For some, that’s £400 a month.
Few people could afford to lose such a large chunk of their wages, and when you’re already low-paid, the impact can be absolutely devastating.
What makes this even worse is that these pay cuts have been implemented by a Labour council. And make no mistake, this was a political decision. There is an alternative to slashing the wages of low paid women.
There must be a negotiated solution – and UNISON is dedicated to finding that solution. But massive pay cuts for school support staff, who look after our children, cannot be the answer.
Our message is clear. My position is the same as our members in Derby. The council must negotiate. And we aren’t going anywhere.
