last updated 21/5/2013

 

Employers pitiful pay offer‏

25/04/2013

Yesterday the employers made a final offer to local government workers of 1% Lead negotiator for UNISON Heather Wakefield said;“Local government workers have seen a 16% decline in the value of their pay in the last three years, coupled with significant local attacks on terms and conditions

UNISON national negotiations will be meeting to discuss the offer but what we do know is that Scottish local government workers decisively rejected 1% in a recent consultative ballot.

There is no doubt that in the current climate where workers are facing redundancy, members will be concerned that voting to reject the offer will be mean more job losses.    However, despite a 3 year pay freeze, 300,000 jobs have been lost in the in the public sector.

In February this year the Institute of Fiscal Studies predicted if jobs continued to be cut at this rate beyond 2014/15, public sector employment would be 1.2 million lower by March 2018!

It is clear that a 3 year pay freeze in the public sector is not saving jobs, it is not contributing to economic growth, indeed it is having a detrimental effect as people have not got the money to spend, accepting a pay offer well below inflation will make this situation worse.

According to the Sunday Times "rich list" the country now has 88 billionaires another example of us not all being in this together!  

Bernadette Gallagher
Branch Secretary

NJC Pay 2013/14 Debunking The Myths

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Pay Settlements

A quarter of private sector deals have seen rises of over 3% on basic rates so far in the 2012-13 pay round. However, with pay freezes, the average pay rise is 2.5%, according to an analysis in Workplace Report, Labour Research Department’s magazine for shops stewards and union negotiators.

The 2.5% rise is based on around 400 settlements from LRD’s Payline database, 350 with a known percentage increase on the lowest basic rate.

Where direct comparisons could be made, a fifth of pay deals have improved on the previous year, in some cases due to a pre-agreed increase following a negotiated freeze.

In most cases, however, direct comparisons point to a lower pay rise in this pay round than the last, confirming the difficulty facing many negotiators.

The latest analysis of settlements from the Labour Research Department’s Payline database of collective agreements shows that in the three months to March the median (midpoint) for all settlements was 2.7%, down on the 2.8% figure for February.

The Payline figures for increases in basic pay vary by sector; private sector settlements had a median increase of 2.8%, but the public sector median was only 1.0%, reflecting the public sector pay freeze; both of these figures were unchanged on February. In manufacturing, the median was steady at 2.6%, and the service sector median was steady at 3.0%.

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Young Members Meeting

Bolton Unison has organised a meeting for our Young Members on Thursday 30th May 2013, 4.30pm-5.30pm. The Meeting is being held in the Ante Room North in Bolton Town Hall and there will be light refreshments and nibbles.
 
Come along and see how you can have a voice on the issues facing young members. Download the Meeting Flyer for further details and if possible display in your workplace for other young members.
 
I have also attached the Young Members May Newsletter - Hard Copies can be sent out to you from the Unison office if you wish
 
Andrew Thomas
Young Members Officer

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Solidarity With UNISON Members in Rochdale‏

Dear Branch Secretary

Regional Council passed a motion last week in support of UNISON members working as carers for Future Directions in Rochdale, who have voted overwhelmingly in favor of taking strike action over cuts to their pay and conditions.

The action, by 114 low paid UNISON members who support adults with disabilities, will take place on the bank holiday weekend (25-27 May). Future Directions took the contract on from Rochdale Council in October 2012, knowing that to make the contract viable they would need to save money. UNISON says it is wrong to make the savings by drastically slashing member’s pay. 

A rally is to be held on the Butts in Rochdale Town Centre from 11 am and 1 pm on Saturday 25th May and branches are invited to attend to show their support for these worker

The Butts is a pedestrianised area and can be found to the right of Rochdale Town.  Municipal parking is free in the Town Centre at weekends.

Branches can also send messages of support Helen.Harrison@rochdale.gov.uk.  Donations to the strike fund can be made by cheques to Rochdale Unison, 46 Richard Street, Rochdale, OL11 1DU

Kevan Nelson
Regional Secretary

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Crawford House is on the corner of Oxford Rd and Booth Street East, 10-15 mins walk from Oxford Rd Station It faces the new Commonwealth Swimming Pool (Aquatics Centre) and is diagonally opposite the Royal Northern College of Music. These are two well known landmarks in case you get lost.

The dates of the course are:

Thursday 30 May
Thursday 13 & 27 June
Thursday 11 & 25 July
Thursday 8 & 22 Aug
Thursday 5 & 19 Sept
Thursday 3, 17, 31 Oct
Thursday 14 & 28 Nov
Thursday 5 & 12 Dec

Subjects covered include:
•personal development
•reading & note-taking skills
•discussing different texts
•writing letters, reports & job applications
•research & presentation skills
•numeracy

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Hi Guys,
I'm doing it again, long distance bike ride for charity, this time I'll be riding from Bolton to Lands End and back to Bolton, a total of 750 miles, I'll be leaving on the Thursday 6th June from Derian House, Near Chorley, with a great bunch of lads all dressed as super heros', to start on our colossal journey, ending on Satuday 15th June back at Derian House. I really appreciate any donation you can make to this great cause.
You can either text Text DHCH20 (plus the amount you wish to donate) to 7070 or go to http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/bolton2bolton
I hope you can support me
Daz Bohm

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School Uniform Grants

Bolton Unison Press Release

Bolton Unison is publicising information about school uniform grants for members on low incomes. The fund is limited and grants are paid on a first come first serve basis with priority given to those who did not receive a grant in 2012. Applications are limited to one per house hold and are dealt with in line with set criteria. Members who feel they may be eligible are being advised to apply early.

Julie Tudor Bolton Unison Welfare Officer said “lots of our members are struggling in the current climate of austerity, particularly those on low incomes. Members with children of school age are really feeling the pinch especially after three years of a pay freeze. Come September it can be a real headache ensuring that kids have got all the right clothes that they need for school. It is excellent that we are able to publicise the union’s school uniform grant form once again. However as funds are limited I would strongly urge members who wish to apply to make an early application”

Application forms and further information is accessible via the national UNISON website: http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=8534

Alternatively forms are available from the Branch office on request .

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Trans-Pennine railway pub crawl

Date Saturday 13th July 2013

Train Tickets go on sale on 13th May 2013 and are available from the ‘Unison Office’.

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Shrewsbury pickets

14/05/2013

Dear all,

Today Unison delegates from Bolton Branch attended their regional council . Ricky Tomlinson’s addressed the meeting seeking support for the injustice the Shrewsbury pickets experienced in the 70’s.

The campaign team has organised the petition calling for the release of Government Documents, which Ricky and the campaign team feel will be able to squash their convictions which they received. It is an important and milestone campaign for the trade union movement, one which together we can raise the 100,000 signatures needed.

The return address is on then petition or bring them into the branch and we will collate them. We have only a short turn around period of about 3 weeks.

Best wishes,
Andrea Egan
Assistant Branch Secretary
Bolton Branch

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An appeal letter from Ricky Tomlinson

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The Bolton Octagon Theatre ‘PIAF’

Unison is offering a limited number of tickets for Bolton LG Branch members for this performance at a subsided rate of £7.00.

On Sale from WEDNESDAY 15th MAY 9.00am
 max 2 per member

MORE

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Press Release

Bolton set to mark Suffragette Centenary

Trade unionists and campaign groups in Bolton are set to commemorate a controversial event in the town’s history. Edith Rigby a leading suffragette from Preston burnt down Lord Leverhulme’s house in Rivington on the outskirts of Bolton in 1913.

Andrea Egan, Bolton Unison Assistant Branch Secretary said “A hundred years ago women did not have the right to vote. Many of the basic rights that people take for granted today simply did not exist. It took decades for women to achieve the right to vote, maternity rights, health care and access to family planning. Even today there is still a long way to go in many areas”

She added “In the early 20th century there was intense debate inside and outside the women’s suffrage movement. Some advocated direct action while others advocated more peaceful forms of protest. There were also intense disagreements between those who sought to work with the establishment and the women who were connected to the wealthiest in society and those who sought to work with working class women and the unions. Edith Rigby will always be a controversial figure because she burnt down Lord Leverhulme’s house, that said she went to considerable lengths to ensure that he was out of the country and that there was no one inside. She used a suffragette newspaper to set the property alight.

She concluded “Lord Leverhulme was an influential figure in local politics, business and seen as a local benefactor. However he was also a man of contradictions. In 1913 Lord Leverhulme was seen as representing a government that not only opposed women’s right to vote but also supported the barbaric force feeding of women on hunger strike. The media of the day was far more sympathetic to Lord Leverhulme than it was to Edith Rigby. Lord Leverhulme was seen to many as a philanthropist and benefactor to the town. He advocated in favour of workers’ pensions and also in support of women’s rights on occasions. In 1913 many women had become increasingly bitter and wanted to take action into their own hands. Edith Rigby’s actions need to be viewed in that context.

On  Saturday 6th of July there will be a commemoration event on Bolton Town Hall Square from 1:30pm organised by women from Bolton TUC. Speakers will include Bernadette Gallagher, Branch Secretary Bolton Unison, Hilary Eastham and Eileen Murphy. Music will be provided by Kadenza and Bolton Clarion Choir.

There will also be a picnic and theatre event later that day at Rivington at 4pm, with theatre group “On The Go” who will perform ‘Saint or Sinner’.

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Sponsor A Steward in the Great Manchester Run for Unison Welfare

Hi,
I’ve got an entry in the Great Manchester 10K run which is on Sunday the 26th May 2013, andhave made a late decision to try to raise a few quid for Unison Welfare.

Bernie’s words at the last Branch meeting that our members had been hammered over the last few years stuck with me

No doubt with pay freezes, soaring energy bills and the like there will be some people who have found it impossible to cope financially.

I think even if we can donate a pound or two it will help. A fiver is the price of a couple of nice coffees isn’t it?

I’ve set up a just giving page in aid of Unison Welfare at www.justgiving.com/geoffknowles

I’ve paid my own entry fee for the race (a cool £37!) and everything I can raise goes to help fellow members.

It will give me an extra incentive on the day to run as fast as I have this year.

Could you circulate this round the membership please??

Best regards
Geoff Knowles
Unison Steward for Registrars
Chief Exec’s Dept

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Sports and Social Diary of Events 2013

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Wage boost for 1,000 of council’s poorest earners

HUNDREDS of the lowest paid council staff look set to be given a pay rise. Town Hall chiefs have consulted with employees and unions over proposals to raise its lowest hourly wage from £6.38 to £6.70 an hour.
MORE

 

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Bolton Unison Press release

Bolton Unison Support for Bangladesh Workers

The Bolton Branch of Public service trade union, Unison has given its support to members of a clothing union in Bangladesh following the collapse of the eight-storey Rana Plaza building which resulted in hundreds of garment workers being killed and many hundreds more being seriously injured.

Dave Milne the Health & Safety Officer for Bolton Unison said “as trade unionists in Bolton we campaign for health and safety at work in this country. It is only right that we support the campaign for the safety of workers overseas. In Bangladesh the economy relies heavily on 3.5 million garment workers who produce clothes for export. Many of these clothes end up in many of our high street stores. The Bangladeshi National Garment Workers Federation is campaigning for better safety regulation and government action to tackle employers who cut corners to make profits. We know that the Bangladesh union has very limited resources and a Branch committee meeting of our stewards on Thursday 2nd May agreed unanimously to send a donation and message of support”.

Bolton Trade unions are also encouraging people to support a war on Want epetition demanding justice for the vitims of the Bangladesh building collapse.

Dave Milne added “We are encouraging people to sign up to an ecampaign set up by the charity War on Want calling for action on behalf of the building collapse victims”.

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- 28,000 people in local government earn £6.30 per hour – 1p less than the new rate for the National Minimum Wage

- The value of local government workers’ pay has been cut by 16% since the coalition came to power due to rising prices and three years of frozen pay

- In a UNISON survey of 14,800 local government workers, 26% report that their council has cut their pay on top of the pay freeze In its first annual Town Hall Poor List, UNISON, the UK’s largest union is highlighting the low wage epidemic in local government.

Figures for each of the lowest pay points spell out just how many people in local government are on rock bottom wages. Two-thirds of the entire workforce earns less than £21,000. This includes refuse collectors, teaching assistants, revenue and benefits officers and family support workers.

A whopping 28,000 people earn £6.30 per hour, including caterers, cleaners and care workers. This is now 1p below the new minimum wage rates, set to come into force in October 2013. More

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Andy Burnham calls for ban on zero hours contracts

Labour should pledge to ban "zero hours contracts" at the next election, shadow health secretary Andy Burnham has said.

Mr Burnham praised his party leader Ed Miliband's proposal to reward firms for paying low paid workers more than the minimum wage.

But he said the Labour leader should "go further" and vow to ban so-called zero hours contracts as well. More

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UNISON Continues The Fight For Injured Workers

The government decided to push ahead with its ill thought out proposals to remove the right of workers to pursue a civil claim for compensation for injuries caused by breach of health and safety regulations.

By doing so it chose to ignore the overwhelming arguments and the amendment by the House of Lords to the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill (which would have reversed this government measure).

The government won the vote in the Commons despite being opposed by all of Labour, Northern Ireland, Scottish and Welsh Nationalist MPs, and a small number of Lib Dems.

The measure was then voted through by the House of Lords at the second time of asking despite the government failing to produce a single rational argument in its defence.

UNISON will continue to fight for the rights of workers to receive compensation for injuries at work, and will be working with the TUC to campaign against and prevent the implementation of this damaging bill.

Thank you to all those who wrote to their MPs asking them to defend the rights of injured workers. Click here for a copy of the latest parliamentary briefing.

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2013 NEC election - Play your part, use your vote

The National Executive Council (NEC) decides on issues and campaigns between conferences and works with UNISON staff to support members.

You want and deserve the best possible representation. The more members that vote in the National Executive Council (NEC) elections the more representative our union is.

Ballot papers The despatch of ballot papers to individual members’ home address will begin on 22 April 2013.

Ballot Helpline If individual members have not received a paper by 29 April 2013 then they should contact the ballot helpline on the following telephone number: 0845 355 0845

Close of ballot and result The deadline for receipt of ballot papers by the Independent Scrutineer is 5pm on Friday 24 May 2013.

Bolton Unison has nominated the following list of candidates:                 

North West Region Seats	Community Seats
Roger Bannister	Janet Bryan
Bernadette Gallagher	Kieran Grogan
Karen Reissmann
Tony Wilson
Local Government Seats	Young Members’ Seat
Paul Holmes	Greta Holmes
Phoebe Watkins
Sonya Howard
Glenn Kelly
Black Members’ Seat
April Ashley
Monique Hirst
Hugo Pierre

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Learning at Work Week

BOLTON AT HOME have welcomed us to join them for activities during Learning at Work Week
List of events

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UNISON Continues The Fight For Injured Workers

The government decided to push ahead with its ill thought out proposals to remove the right of workers to pursue a civil claim for compensation for injuries caused by breach of health and safety regulations. More

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Central hall Oldham st manchester M1 1JQ
From 5:30pm, Tuesday 21 May

This event is free but please register: www.eventbrite.co.uk

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Dave Prentis Condemns Fingerprint Test For Alcohol And Drinking In The Workplace

Millions of workers face routine alcohol testing using a new fingerprint device which gives instant results.

Staff in local government, the NHS and security, transport and leisure industries will be first to be targeted as the world’s first finger-touch system to detect alcohol is launched.

Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, condemned the move as ‘a sledgehammer to crack a nut’.

He added: ‘If workers have a problem with alcohol, their employers should not be relying on a gadget to entrap them but should be providing them with proper support.' More

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Golf Events

Bolton Unison is currently subsidising Unison members to participate in two different Golf events.

One is being run by Bolton Hospice and is a ‘Kings and Queens’ event with teams of two (a golfer and a non golfer) and is taking part during the day with an evening event to follow. You do not have to be in a ‘team’ to take part as we may be able to match up any golfers and non golfers into teams if necessary, and you are welcome to attend either the day event/ evening event or both.

The second event is the annual Unison Golf competition, with a singles and a Team of 4 event. Again you can possibly be matched up with players from other Unison branches to make teams of 4 if needed.

If you are interested in taking part in either of these events please contact the Unison office.

See flyers below with dates and further venue details
‘Kings and Queens’ event
Annual Unison Golf competition

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Job Cuts and Pay

Is Npower the new Starbucks? At the same time as hiking our energy bills, Npower are using accounting tricks to dodge paying their fair share of tax in the UK. Yesterday it was revealed that they haven't paid a single penny in corporation tax for the last three years

The news of yet another huge company like Npower dodging tax stinks, and not just because it comes at a time when our gas and electricity bills are going through the roof. By dodging tax, Npower are actively contributing to the UK’s deficit - and to the stinging impact of government cuts.

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Bolton Unison Press Release:

Union Leader Attacks Government Welfare Reform

A leading trade unionist in Bolton has spoken out against cuts to the governments welfare reform agenda which it is claimed will adversely affect millions of people across the country. Bernadette  Gallagher Bolton Unison Branch Secretary and member of the union’s National Executive Committee said:

“The governments welfare reform agenda is hitting some of the most vulnerable people in our local communities. Up to two thirds of those affected by housing benefit changes including the bedroom tax are disabled people who face the impossible choice of paying higher rents or trying to find alternative accommodation that meets their needs. Many of those affected are low paid workers who are already feeling the squeeze due to pay freezes and spiraling living costs.  

“Attacks on disability benefits are based on assumptions that there are thousands of job vacancies that severely disabled people will be readily be able to take up. For many disabled people this is a major blow as they are already facing the impact of other benefit changes. We know from the closure of Remploy Factories that there are fewer job opportunities out there for those disabled people who desperately want to work.

“Recent maternity benefit changes mean that the government is cutting £180 from mums with new-born babies. It is estimated that over a million people nationwide will be affected by what has been dubbed ‘the mummy tax’. It will affect thousands of local families, mothers, fathers and children who will all be hit by the cuts to statutory maternity payments.  It will be low paid women workers who are hit the hardest.

“Although as trade unionists we reserve the right to lobby our local politicians when they make key decisions that affect our members we should also give credit when local representatives make a stand.

“In Bolton we had a well-supported protest against the Bedroom Tax organised by Councilor Kate Challender in March. Bolton Council and the towns biggest landlord, Bolton at Home have both spoken out against the Bedroom Tax.

“ This month, Bolton Council has given its backing to a motion put forward by Deputy Council Leader, Linda Thomas on the cuts to Maternity Pay or the ‘Mummy Tax’.  As a public service trade union our members are feeling the brunt of the government’s austerity agenda both at work and at home. It is very welcome that local councillors have shown a commitment to speak out and campaign against the unfairness of the governments welfare reform agenda. It is a cruel irony that many of these changes come into effect alongside the government tax cuts for millionaires worth £100,000”

Bernadette Gallagher added “The campaign against the coalition governments welfare reforms will continue. We know from the campaign against the poll tax that ultimately the government can be beaten. Margaret Thatcher refused to give in but in the face of fierce opposition it was this stubbornness that led to her political downfall and the poll tax was defeated”.

Bolton Council voted to add its weight to calls to scrap the bedroom tax and think again on changes to statutory maternity pay at a full council meeting held on Wednesday 17th April 2015

Ends…

Matt Kilsby
Bolton Unison
Branch Chairperson

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Computer Literacy course for Unison Members‏

Wigan & Leigh College is offering a LEVEL 1 Award in the ICT qualification ITQ. From 03/05/13 12.00 – 2.00pm Open to any Unison member At Edbro’s Training Centre Lever St Ring 01204 338901/2 for further details The course, covering Word Processing, Spreadsheets and Presentations will last 20 weeks.

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Top pay rises continue apace while real wages fall for ordinary families, says TUC

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How do trade unionists use the net in 2013?

• More and more of you use tablets and smartphones – though your unions haven't tended to keep up, with very few of them creating applications specifically designed for small screens.
• Very large numbers of you are using social networks other than Facebook – most notably Google+ and LinkedIn.  But your unions, which have been pretty good about using Facebook and Twitter, have largely ignored those other networks.
• While most of you seem pretty happy with how your unions now use the net, large numbers of you don't actually know if your unions are creating videos or smartphone apps.
• We asked people what they most wanted to see on union websites and here are the top three: tips on workers’ rights, training for activists, and describing working conditions in companies.

To read a much more detailed account of the results, click here to download the PDF file.

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Protesters heckle minister during ‘top secret’ visit

WORK and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith was greeted by angry protesters and members of the public on a visit to Bolton.

The man in charge of the Government’s welfare reforms was in town yesterday on a fact fiindng secret visit to the Department of Works and Pensions building at Elizabeth House in Back Spring Gardens.

Not even the local Conservative party had been made aware of his trip, but a tip-off led to Bolton’s unions quickly organising a small group of about a dozen protesters.

http://www.theboltonnews.co.u

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E-ciggies are a problem at work

E-cigarettes are potentially hazardous and have no place in the workplace, the TUC's head of safety has advised. Hugh Robertson, who said he had received two inquiries from safety reps about the product in the last week, said while the electronic nicotine delivery systems are not banned, they should be subject to the same controls at work as real cigarettes. Noting that US authorities have discouraged their use, he said: 'Certainly e-cigarettes do contain a number of carcinogens and toxins, but these are likely to be at much lower levels than with cigarettes made with tobacco.' He added: 'In answer to the specific question about their legality, e-cigarettes are not covered by the ban on smoking in enclosed workplaces and public places, but an employer does have control over whether their employees can smoke them while at work. Given that the long term effects of the fumes are an unknown, then it could be argued that employers should not be allowing a potentially harmful substance to be used in the workplace under COSHH (the Chemicals regulations).' He said safety reps 'should try to ensure that the employer does not allow the use of e-cigarettes in enclosed places or anywhere that smoking tobacco is prohibited, but, as part of a health promotion campaign, might want to work with their employer to encourage smokers to switch to e-cigarettes and use them instead of tobacco cigarettes, but only in places not covered by the smoking ban.' Last year, NHS Fife and Blackburn College made e-cigarettes subject to the same controls under their smoking policies as normal cigarettes.

http://strongerunions.org

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Police called as protests interrupt meeting

 

There was drama in the council chamber as police were called after a number of disruptions to last night’s meeting.

As the meeting started, The Mayor of Bolton, Cllr Guy Harkin, asked the people packed into the public gallery to behave themselves, recalling protests at last year's budget meeting. www.theboltonnews.co.uk

Chaos erupts at budget meeting as council tax rises

Approved by Bolton Council: A hike in council tax, millions of pounds of cuts and hundreds of job losses

SALFORD COUNCIL DRAMA AS POLICE CALLED TO EVICT CUTS PROTESTERS

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Budget Cuts - What YOU can do

18/2/2013

Today BBC journalists are on strike in a dispute over compulsory redundancies. The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) said it called the strike after failing to reach an agreement with management. Up and down the country public sector jobs are being lost at an alarming scale.

Bolton Council is set to vote through a budget on Wednesday night which may lead to compulsory redundancies this year together with a devastating affect to services. It is important that the councillors who are making these decisions understand the impact this will have on jobs and services. As council workers you will know better than anyone how the proposed cuts will affect you in terms of workload or the service you work in.

UNISON and the GMB together with the joint trades unions in Bolton have called a lobby of the council on Wednesday evening when councillors will make the decision to make even more cuts. At this stage job losses are being ‘managed’ by voluntary means but this does not mean that this is satisfactory. By 2015 we will have lost in excess of 1500 jobs. Cuts are also being planned beyond the next election in 2015. in Bolton the budget planning includes £30 to £40m more cuts in 2015-17……….regardless of which government get into power!

As the leader of the largest council in the country Birmingham City Council said “it is the end of local government as we know it!

UNISON and GMB are not asking our members to take industrial action yet but what we do need is for ordinary members to do just 3 things over the next month

1. e-mail your councillor now to tell them how the cuts will impact on your personally or the service you deliver
2. Attend the lobby on the 20th February, 6.30pm South side of the Town Hall. Bring your family and friends
3. Attend the AGM on 6th March 12.30pm Bolton Town Hall. There will be a motion reaffirming and strengthening our position against job losses and no compulsory redundancies

Please note no council facilities can be used for any of the above trade union activities

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Battling for Bolton - In the Spring Edition

Latest Edition

Battling For Bolton Edition One

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Coalition’s shortsighted and vicious bedroom tax will hit local economy

Letter from Janet Bryan (UNISON Convenor) Bolton at Home in the Bolton News

THE Bolton News recently carried an excellent feature on the issue of homelessness in our town.

The prospect of increasing numbers of young and vulnerable people with nowhere to live is an issue which should concern us all. Only major investment and the political will to develop social housing can help to tackle the issue.

More

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Course Calendar

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Living Wage Could Save UK Treasury £2 Billion a Year

Recent studies by leading think tanks have indicated that widespread use of the living wage could save the UK treasury as much as £2 billion a year.

The Resolution Foundation and the Institute for Public Policy Research estimate that by increasing the wages of Britain’s lowest paid workers to at least £8.55 in London and £7.45 outside London would raise income nationally by as much as £6.5 billion a year. This increased spending power would help the economy through boosting spending with shops and businesses across the country. The government’s finances would directly benefit through collecting more money in income tax as well as paying less in benefits and tax credits.

Local employers have already begun to take a lead in the campaign for the living wage. Bolton College and Bolton at Home have both signed up to pay the living wage during 2012. The National Minimum Wage implemented by the previous Labour Government was an important step in the right direction. Increasingly however, people argue that the minimum wage does not go far enough. Politicians from across the spectrum have spoken in favour of the idea of a living wage.

As a society it seems that despite living in an age of austerity we can afford multi-millionaires, bankers and top bosses who receive huge salaries and bonuses. Most readers will agree that the hospital cleaners, kitchen domestics, shop workers, care workers we all rely on deserve a much better deal. At a time when living costs keep on rising, is £7.45 an hour really too much to ask for Britain’s lowest paid workers?

Martin Challender

www.theboltonnews.co.uk

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Bolton Council Golf Society

Regards
Gary Brownlow
Event co-ordinator and Secretary
Bolton Council Golf Society

For further information or an application form please e-mail gary.brownlow@bolton.gov.uk

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Unison meeting dates for 2013‏

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Free financial advice

UNISON Debtline offers members and their families a range of services from advice on budgeting and council tax arrears to debt management plans. MORE

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