![PRESS RELEASE : TUC – Government must step in to stop a damaging recession and job losses [December 2022]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/tucimage-150x127.jpeg)
The press release issued by the TUC on 12 December 2022.
“With quarterly GDP falling, ministers should step in to stop a damaging recession and job losses.
“Britain needs a pay rise. Rishi Sunak should stop attacking working people defending their pay and sit down to negotiate fair pay rises with unions.”
The press release issued by the TUC on 12 December 2022.
2022 has been the worst year for real wage growth in nearly half a century, new TUC analysis reveals today (Monday).
The analysis of official statistics reveals that real wages (that is, wages after the cost of living has been taken into account) have slumped by 3.0% over the course of 2022.
This is the sharpest fall in real wages since 1977 and the second worst on record since 1945.
Working people have lost, on average, £76 a month in 2022 as a result of their pay not keeping pace with inflation.
Key workers hit hardest
Key workers in the public sector have been hit hardest by the UK’s real wage slump.
The government’s decision to hold down public sector pay means that public sector workers have lost, on average, £180 a month in real earnings over the past 12 months.
Many of the UK’s pandemic heroes have seen their wages plummet in 2022:
The union body say the real wage losses suffered by public service staff this year comes after a decade of “pay suppression” in the public sector.
Nurses are earning £5,000 a year less in real terms than they were in 2010. And for midwives and paramedics this rises to over £6,000.
Longest pay squeeze in 200 years
The TUC says working people have been “brutally exposed” as the cost of living has soared this year.
UK workers are currently enduring the longest pay squeeze in more than 200 years – with average pay still worth £85 a month less than in 2008.
And in the public sector average pay is down by £204 a month in real terms compared to 2008.
Pushed to breaking point
The TUC says the current wave of industrial action in Britain is the result of workers “being pushed to breaking point” by years of pay austerity.
The union body today repeated its calls for ministers to engage in meaningful pay talks.
Unions last week wrote to the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to ask him to end the government’s refusal to hold negotiations on public sector pay.
Get wages rising
The TUC says that rather than holding down wages, ministers should be working with unions to boost workers’ living standards and spending power.
The union body said it was “nonsense” to claim that raising wages would hike inflation and that any serious plan for improving growth must involve putting more money back into workers’ pockets.
The TUC warns that without action to boost pay packets, the squeeze on household budgets will continue for years to come.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:
“People should be able to look forward to Christmas without having to worry about how they’ll pay for it.
“But family budgets have been shredded by soaring bills and more than a decade of pay being held down.
“The Conservatives have presided over the longest real wage squeeze in over 200 years. That is a badge of shame.
“The Tories’ failure to get pay rising has left millions of households brutally exposed to the cost of living emergency.
“It’s time to reward work – not wealth. We cannot be a country where NHS and teaching staff have to use foodbanks, while City bankers are given unlimited bonuses.”
On the prospect of more strikes Frances added:
“Nobody takes strike action lightly.
“But workers have been pushed to breaking point by years of wage stagnation.
“If there are strikes across different sectors this winter the government only have themselves to blame.
“They have chosen to hold down the pay of our pandemic heroes and make the staffing crisis in our public services worse.
“Where unions are allowed to negotiate with employers they’re winning better deals – from buses to BT.
“But this Conservative government is preventing meaningful negotiations from taking place.
“Ministers seem more interested in escalating disputes than resolving them.”
The press release issued by the TUC on 7 December 2022.
Nearly three-quarters (72%) of disabled workers earn less than £15 an hour, according to new analysis of official statistics published by the TUC today (Wednesday).
The analysis – published today during disability history month – reveals that 3.09 million disabled workers around the UK are paid under the median wage of around £15 an hour.
Around half (54%) of non-disabled workers are paid less than this amount.
The TUC argues that disabled workers are over-represented in low-paid work – and says that the new increase in the minimum wage announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn statement doesn’t go anywhere near far enough in lifting workers out of poverty.
Regional and industrial analysis
The new analysis shows that in some parts of the country, even more disabled workers earn less than £15 an hour.
More than four in five disabled workers in the West Midlands (85%) and the North East (82%) earn less than £15 an hour, compared to around three in five (58% and 64%) of non-disabled workers in those regions.
And in some industries, most disabled people are paid less than £15 an hour. Nine in 10 disabled workers in wholesale, retail, repair of vehicles (94%) and arts, entertainment and recreation (89%) are paid less than £15.
Zero-hours contracts
The analysis found that disabled workers are more likely than non-disabled workers to be employed on a zero-hours contract (4.4% compared to 2.9%) with no guarantee of shifts from one week to the next.
The TUC says zero-hours contracts hand the employer total control over their workers’ hours and earning power.
This means workers never know how much they will earn each week, and their income is subject to the whims of managers.
The union body argues that this makes it hard for workers to plan their lives, look after their children and get to medical appointments.
And it makes it harder for workers to challenge unacceptable behaviour by bosses because of concerns about whether they will be penalised by not being allocated hours in future.
Unemployment
Not only are disabled workers paid less than non-disabled workers, they are also more likely to be excluded from the job market.
Disabled workers are now twice as likely as non-disabled workers to be unemployed (6.8% compared to 3.4%).
In November, the TUC published analysis showing that the pay gap between non-disabled and disabled workers has widened and is now 17.2%, or £3,700 a year.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “We all deserve a decent job with decent pay. Being disabled should not mean you’re employed on a lower wage or on worse terms and conditions.
“As the cost-of-living crisis intensifies, many disabled workers are struggling to get by.
“We already know disabled people face higher living expenses than non-disabled people. And now they’re being pushed to the brink with eye-watering bills and are having to choose whether to put food on the table or pay their bills.
“Ministers announced the absolute bare minimum on the national minimum wage and universal credit in the Autumn statement. With living costs soaring, we need to ensure that everyone has enough to get by.
“Let’s put an end to low-pay Britain and get to a £15 per hour minimum wage as soon as possible.
“And it’s also past time to introduce mandatory disability pay gap reporting to shine a light on inequality at work. Without this, millions of disabled workers will be consigned to years of lower pay and in-work poverty.”
Government action needed
To address low pay, the TUC is calling for the minimum wage to be raised to £15 an hour as soon as possible.
In August, the union body set out a roadmap to a £15 an hour minimum wage and a high wage economy.
And to further support disabled workers, the TUC wants the government to bring in mandatory disability pay gap reporting for all employers with more than 50 employees.
The union body says the legislation should be accompanied by a duty on employers to produce action plans identifying the steps they will take to address any gaps identified.
The press release issued by the TUC on 7 December 2022.
The analysis – published today during disability history month – reveals that 3.09 million disabled workers around the UK are paid under the median wage of around £15 an hour.
Around three in five (64%) non-disabled workers in the North East are paid less than this amount.
The TUC argues that disabled workers are over-represented in low-paid work – and says that the new increase in the minimum wage announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn statement doesn’t go anywhere near far enough in lifting workers out of poverty.
Zero-hours contracts
The analysis found that disabled workers are more likely than non-disabled workers to be employed on a zero-hours contract (4.4% compared to 2.9%) with no guarantee of shifts from one week to the next.
The TUC says zero-hours contracts hand the employer total control over their workers’ hours and earning power.
This means workers never know how much they will earn each week, and their income is subject to the whims of managers.
The union body argues that this makes it hard for workers to plan their lives, look after their children and get to medical appointments.
And it makes it harder for workers to challenge unacceptable behaviour by bosses because of concerns about whether they will be penalised by not being allocated hours in future.
Unemployment
Not only are disabled workers paid less than non-disabled workers, they are also more likely to be excluded from the job market.
Disabled workers are now twice as likely as non-disabled workers to be unemployed (6.8% compared to 3.4%).
In November, the TUC published analysis showing that the pay gap between non-disabled and disabled workers has widened and is now 17.2%, or £3,700 a year.
TUC Regional Secretary Liz Blackshaw said: “We all deserve a decent job with decent pay. Being disabled should not mean you’re employed on a lower wage or on worse terms and conditions.
“As the cost-of-living crisis intensifies, many disabled workers in the North East are struggling to get by.
“We already know disabled people face higher living expenses than non-disabled people. And now they’re being pushed to the brink with eye-watering bills and are having to choose whether to put food on the table or pay their bills.
“Ministers announced the absolute bare minimum on the national minimum wage and universal credit in the Autumn statement. With living costs soaring, we need to ensure that everyone has enough to get by.
“Let’s put an end to low-pay Britain and get to a £15 per hour minimum wage as soon as possible.
“And it’s also past time to introduce mandatory disability pay gap reporting to shine a light on inequality at work. Without this, millions of disabled workers will be consigned to years of lower pay and in-work poverty.”
Government action needed
To address low pay, the TUC is calling for the minimum wage to be raised to £15 an hour as soon as possible.
In August, the union body set out a roadmap to a £15 an hour minimum wage and a high wage economy.
And to further support disabled workers, the TUC wants the government to bring in mandatory disability pay gap reporting for all employers with more than 50 employees.
The union body says the legislation should be accompanied by a duty on employers to produce action plans identifying the steps they will take to address any gaps identified.
The press release issued by the TUC on 7 December 2022.
“The right to strike is a fundamental British liberty. With inflation running at 11 per cent, Rishi Sunak wants to make it harder for working people to win better pay and conditions.
“Public sector workers would love to be able to deliver minimum service levels. But 12 years of Conservative cuts and mismanagement have left our public services falling apart at the seams.
“Rather than attempting cheap political pot shots, the government should be getting around the table and negotiating with unions about pay. So far, ministers have seemed more interested in sabotaging talks than trying to resolve disputes.”
The press release issued by the TUC on 7 December 2022.
New TUC analysis reveals more than three million disabled workers earn less than £15 an hour.
Disabled workers also more likely to be on precarious zero-hours contracts or unemployed than non-disabled workers.
Union body says ministers have done “bare minimum” on minimum wage and calls for increase to £15 an hour.
Three in four (76%) disabled workers in the South West earn less than £15 an hour, according to new analysis of official statistics published by the TUC today (Wednesday).
The analysis – published today during disability history month – reveals that 3.09 million disabled workers around the UK are paid under the median wage of around £15 an hour.
Less than three in five (57%) non-disabled workers in the South West are paid less than this amount.
The TUC argues that disabled workers are over-represented in low-paid work – and says that the new increase in the minimum wage announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn statement doesn’t go anywhere near far enough in lifting workers out of poverty.
Zero-hours contracts
The analysis found that disabled workers are more likely than non-disabled workers to be employed on a zero-hours contract (4.4% compared to 2.9%) with no guarantee of shifts from one week to the next.
The TUC says zero-hours contracts hand the employer total control over their workers’ hours and earning power.
This means workers never know how much they will earn each week, and their income is subject to the whims of managers.
The union body argues that this makes it hard for workers to plan their lives, look after their children and get to medical appointments.
And it makes it harder for workers to challenge unacceptable behaviour by bosses because of concerns about whether they will be penalised by not being allocated hours in future.
Unemployment
Not only are disabled workers paid less than non-disabled workers, they are also more likely to be excluded from the job market.
Disabled workers are now twice as likely as non-disabled workers to be unemployed (6.8% compared to 3.4%).
In November, the TUC published analysis showing that the pay gap between non-disabled and disabled workers has widened and is now 17.2%, or £3,700 a year.
TUC Regional Secretary Ines Lage said: “We all deserve a decent job with decent pay. Being disabled should not mean you’re employed on a lower wage or on worse terms and conditions.
“As the cost-of-living crisis intensifies, many disabled workers in the South West are struggling to get by.
“We already know disabled people face higher living expenses than non-disabled people. And now they’re being pushed to the brink with eye-watering bills and are having to choose whether to put food on the table or pay their bills.
“Ministers announced the absolute bare minimum on the national minimum wage and universal credit in the Autumn statement. With living costs soaring, we need to ensure that everyone has enough to get by.
“Let’s put an end to low-pay Britain and get to a £15 per hour minimum wage as soon as possible.
“And it’s also past time to introduce mandatory disability pay gap reporting to shine a light on inequality at work. Without this, millions of disabled workers will be consigned to years of lower pay and in-work poverty.”
Government action needed
To address low pay, the TUC is calling for the minimum wage to be raised to £15 an hour as soon as possible.
In August, the union body set out a roadmap to a £15 an hour minimum wage and a high wage economy.
And to further support disabled workers, the TUC wants the government to bring in mandatory disability pay gap reporting for all employers with more than 50 employees.
The union body says the legislation should be accompanied by a duty on employers to produce action plans identifying the steps they will take to address any gaps identified.
The press release issued by the TUC on 6 December 2022.
Kate Bell has today (Tuesday) been appointed as Assistant General Secretary of the TUC.
Kate will take up the post next year and work alongside incoming TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak who will lead the union federation from January 2023.
Kate joined the TUC in 2016 as the organisation’s head of economics, international and employment rights department.
Kate played a lead role in securing the furlough scheme during the pandemic – leading vital meetings with ministers and civil servants.
She has also led the TUC’s campaign for a £15 minimum wage, common ownership in the energy sector and stronger worker bargaining rights.
Before joining the TUC, Kate worked as Head of Policy and Public Affairs for a local authority.
She also worked for the Labour Party, and for the charities Child Poverty Action Group and Gingerbread.
Kate is also a member of the Low Pay Commission, representing workers.
Commenting on the appointment, TUC General Secretary Designate Paul Nowak said:
“Kate brings a wealth of experience to this post.
“She will play a key role in supporting unions during this cost of living crisis to win for their members.
“She has led the TUC’s policy work across range of crucial areas. And I know she is totally committed to working with unions to shift the balance of wealth and power to working people.
“I look forward to working closely with her. She is a great asset to the TUC and the wider movement.”
The press release issued by the TUC on 5 December 2022.
“Around two million people in the UK are living with Long Covid – more than the populations of Manchester and Birmingham combined.
“Economic inactivity is rising almost 10 times as fast for people with Long Covid than for those without the condition. And older workers are being hit the hardest.
“Ministers must ensure everyone with Long Covid is recognised as disabled under the Equality Act. This will give them the support they need to continue to do their jobs and formal protection under employment law.
“And Long Covid must also be recognised as an occupational disease. That would entitle employees to protection and compensation if they contracted the virus while working.
“It’s a scandal that more than two and a half years after the first lockdown, the workers who kept our country going through the pandemic have still been offered no support.”
The ONS figures show that:
The press release issued by the TUC on 2 December 2022.
The TUC has today (Friday) published new analysis which reveals 900,000 under-21s across the UK are currently being left “massively out of pocket” due to being paid a lower rate of the minimum wage.
The minimum wage pay penalty facing under-21s this year has been an estimated £2.5 billion.
That works out at an average of £2,800 in lost in wages for every worker under-21 paid less than the full minimum wage.
The main minimum wage is currently £9.50. However, it is £9.18 for 21-22 year olds, £6.83 for 18-20 year olds and £4.81 for under 18s. These rates are going up in April to £10.42, £10.18, £7.49 and £5.28 respectively following recommendations to government from the Low Pay Commission.
The TUC says that paying a lower rate to young adults is “unfair” and that the tiered-rates system must be “overhauled”.
The government is taking steps to bring 21 and 22 year olds into the main minimum wage rate by 2024. But the TUC says this does not go far enough and the full minimum wage should extend to all young workers.
Those aged 18-20 continue to be paid 28 per cent less than the minimum wage. And for those aged under 18, the minimum wage is a massive 49 per cent below the main rate.
An overwhelming majority of workers aged under 21 (70%), which is the cut off for youth rates, receive less than the full minimum wage.
As well as demanding all workers be eligible for the same minimum wage, the union body is calling for a £15 minimum wage as soon as possible to put an “end to low-pay Britain”.
The UK is experiencing the longest and harshest wage squeeze in 200 years – and it is on course to face two lost decades of living standards.
The research comes at the end of the TUC’s young workers’ month, which is aimed at promoting trade unions to young workers.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:
“A fair day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.
“But too many young workers are being left hugely out of pocket because of outdated youth rates of the national minimum wage.
“Almost a million workers under 21 face this pay penalty – getting less than older workers for doing the same job.
“Young people up and down the country are being hammered by the cost-of-living crisis – like everyone else, they need more money in their pockets now.
“It’s time to end this glaring injustice so that all workers are entitled to the same minimum wage.
“And it’s time for ministers to deliver a plan for a £15 minimum wage so that we can put an end to low-pay Britain for good.”
The press release issued by the TUC on 30 November 2022.
Women are much more likely than men to be in flexible working arrangements that mean they lose hours, and therefore pay, according to new TUC analysis of official statistics.
The findings are published today (Thursday), a year to the day the government closed its consultation on flexible work, and ahead of the next committee stage of Yasmin Qureshi MP’s private members bill on flexible work.
Flexible work
Millions of people across the UK are now working flexibly. Flexible working can take lots of different forms, including working from home, job sharing, compressed hours, part-time and term-time working.
Some of these arrangements, like part-time and term-term only working, have a financial impact as staff work less hours so receive less pay.
But other forms of flexible work, like home working and compressed hours, mean workers can continue to work full-time and not lose hours and therefore pay.
Flexible work arrangements with less hours
The new TUC analysis reveals that women are much more likely than men to be in flexible working arrangements that mean they work less hours and take a salary hit, like part-time and term-time only working.
The union body argues that a lack of good flexible working opportunities and the unequal division of caring responsibilities is forcing some women into flexibility that results in loss of pay:
Homeworking
However, the picture with homeworking is different. The analysis reveals that even before the pandemic, men were more likely than women to be working at home, which doesn’t result in a loss of hours.
In 2019, one in 13 (8%) men were working at home, compared to one in 17 (6%) women. And in 2021, nearly one in 4 (23%) men worked mainly at home, compared to just over one in 5 (21%) women.
Even in jobs dominated by women, men are more likely than women to be homeworking:
The TUC argues that greater access to all types of flexible working arrangements would provide more opportunity for women to take up the types of flexibility – should they want to – that do not impact hours worked and pay.
The union body says that part-time jobs must also be designed to ensure they offer equivalent pay, and the same career and progression opportunities, so that those who do want to work part time don’t miss out.
And normalising and improving flexible working options would also encourage more men to take up these options and share caring responsibilities, says the TUC.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Flexible work shouldn’t always mean less hours or less pay.
“But too often, women pay a heavy financial price for trying to balance their work and caring responsibilities, being forced to drop hours – and lose pay – rather than fork out for extortionate childcare costs.
“This isn’t right. We need to ensure everyone has access to as many flexible working options as possible – not just the ones that leave you worse off.
“Flexible working lets people both work and support their families. It’s how we keep mums in their jobs and close the gender pay gap. It gives dads more time with their kids. And it helps disabled workers, older workers and carers stay in work.
“But the current system isn’t working. Employers can turn down flexible working requests with impunity. And workers are too scared to ask about flexible working when applying for a job, for fear of not getting appointed.
“Ministers promised to modernise employment law to make flexible working options the norm for every job.
“The way to do that is for ministers to require all jobs to be advertised with the possible flexible working options stated – and to give all workers the legal right to work flexibly from their first day in a job.”
Government consultation
Ministers have promised to strengthen flexible working. The government ran a flexible work consultation at the end of last year.
Over 5,700 people submitted a response to this but almost a year on, they are still waiting for the results.
The TUC wants the consultation to deliver real flexibility for working people, including: