The continuing cost of living crisis

There is evidence that the cost-of-living crisis continues to impact upon working people across all socio-economic groups but has a greater impact on the lowest paid. 

Even the government acknowledged this when, on 1 April 2023, they increased the Living Wage (in reality, the minimum wage) by 9.6%. The academics who decide on the figure for the Real Living Wage went 0.5% further and set the rate at 10.1% for 2023.

Since then we have had the chancellor announcing at the Tory conference that the Living Wage will rise to £11 per hour. It now looks like he has underestimated this and the forecast is that the Living Wage will go up to £11.43, only 57p per hour behind the new Real Living Wage of £12 per hour.

What are the unions doing to counteract this crisis? In Fujitsu PCS has submitted a pay claim seeking a 15% increase, or £3500 underpin, along with a move to a four-day week without loss of pay, and we are currently balloting our members on industrial action to achieve our goals.

“The lesson here is it pays to be in a union”

We have managed to negotiate with some employers in the private sector that they pay the higher Real Living Wage to our lowest paid members meaning increases of up to 19% for some. The lesson here is it pays to be in a union so ask any colleagues not already in PCS to join us and help make us stronger.