Blog: Working with UNISON on the cost of living crisis

My community, like many others, was left devasted by the pandemic. The suffering endured will live long in the memory, but so too should the resolve of those who pulled us through, not least our NHS staff, carers and educators. As a proud UNISON member, I know that, too often, the vital role of our public services – and those who work in them – is taken for granted, but whose true value was there for all to see during our darkest hour. It is deeply regrettable that many of those same workers now struggle to make ends meet. So I was pleased to work with UNISON to secure a debate in Parliament on the cost of living crisis. UNISON research found that 2 in 5 health workers had to ask family or friends for financial support in the last year. Nearly every school support staff surveyed worried they didn’t have enough cash to cope with rising bills, meaning a quarter have had to find second or even third jobs. The treatment of those on whom we rely so heavily is unacceptable and untenable. Unacceptable because they deserve better. They paid their dues – one hundred times over. The government must do right by them. And untenable because it exacerbates a staffing crisis. We know public sector pay lags behind the private sector. Already 500 nurses and midwives quit every week and we now risk losing thousands of staff because of the gulf in pay. During the debate, I highlighted the case of one NHS worker in Barnsley, who told me that 63% of her meagre pay rise went back into Trea...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: Blogs News cost of living Source Type: news