‘ Co-ordinated action unites us, ’ McAnea tells TUC congress

“Our purpose binds us – co-ordinated action unites us.” That was the message at the heart of Christina McAnea’s speech to the TUC’s annual congress in Brighton today, as she moved a successful UNISON motion on Higher pay to tackle the cost of living crisis. The general secretary had opened by telling delegates that she had been on a picket line recently in Blackpool. It was “early one morning, in the wind and the rain … “I was talking to our UNISON members. Most of them were cleaners, caterers or porters, who work in the hospital but for a private company – OCS. “They don’t get full NHS pay and conditions, and even during the pandemic – working Christmas day – they only got flat rate pay. “Their ask was reasonable: pay parity with the directly-employed workers doing the same job. Ms McAnea said that she had asked one of members how she travelled to the picket line so early. The member replied that she walked. An hour to work/the picket line and an hour home. “Because she could no longer afford the bus fare.” That, said the general secretary, was the reality that was forcing people take strike action even when it meant losing pay. She continued by telling the hall: “The picture inside our NHS hospitals is not much prettier. Almost 30% of employers have set up foodbanks to help feed their staff and another 20% are planning to bring it in.” It was, said Ms McAnea, “a shameful period in our history.” She reported that...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - Category: Food Science Authors: Tags: Article News Christina McAnea cost of living TUC TUC lobby 2 November Source Type: news