 With Inflation at a 40-Year High Unite’s Pay Victories Must Continue This month: The latest RPI inflation data is out. It is at 13.4% this month – get the highlights here. See the latest earnings data from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) including average pay for industry and occupational groups. Also read my column below on the right to strike.  “Attacking the right to strike is not going to silence working people.” This week the Government launched its latest, predictable attack on trade unions. This of course misses the key point; the reason for the strikes is not militant unions, rather the fact that after years of suppressed pay many workers, who are the voting public, have their backs against the wall. Rampant profiteering coupled with a government blind to the issues of everyday people leaves workers with no choice. Trying to legislate your way out of conflict, is like hiding behind the curtain in the middle of a fire. It isn’t going to achieve anything and eventually you’ll have to face up to the problem before it’s too late. The country at large is still facing the second year of a national pay cut, our NHS is still in crisis and our public services are at breaking point. Rather than sit in the room and negotiate, the Prime Minister has decided to engage in a political spectacle more suited to student politics. An abdication of leadership at the very least. Whatever the result of the latest bout of shenanigans from Westminster, Unite will remain fully prepared to defend our members’ interests. No minimum service level agreement is going to stop strike action and as the legislation gets tougher we will make sure we are in a position to defend our members. We have already delivered over £200 million extra in pay and benefits to our members as a result of strike action over the last 12 months and many of those disputes have extended well beyond the picket line. Whatever the outcome, we will continue to invest in our Strikes plus strategy and continue to defend the Jobs, Pay and Conditions of our members. That is my number one priority. Thank you for all you do for our members. Please keep your suggestions coming as well as highlighting any pacesetting agreements, deals or other issues. Have you tried the Collective Agreement Builder, the Collective Agreements Database, the Pay Claim Generator, the Employer Profile Generator and the Pay and Anniversary Date Database yet? If you don’t have your login details just email denis.ryan@unitetheunion.org In solidarity, Sharon Graham, Unite General Secretary If you need any further information on this please do not hesitate to contact me sharon.graham@unitetheunion.org Follow us on social media: @WorkVoicePay @UniteWorkVoicePay |