Unions in Staffordshire and Cheshire urge Prime Minister to put money where his mouth is
TUC are calling for better jobs and pay to be at the forefront his pandemic recovery plan
Union leaders are urging the Boris Johnson to prove he's serious about levelling up after the pandemic by doing more for the poorest people living in Staffordshire and Cheshire.
Analysis of new official poverty figures published has found that working-age poverty across our region has barely fallen since 2010/11, despite regional unemployment falling significantly in the years before the pandemic.
The proportion of working-age people living in poverty was 23% in 2010/11, and 20% in 2019/20, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics.
The poor progress comes despite unemployment in the North West falling from 7.7% in 2011 to 4.1% in 2020.
Unions say that as we recover from the pandemic, that the new jobs created are better quality and do not leave families stuck in working poverty.
TUC Regional Secretary Lynn Collins said:
“Hard work should pay off for everyone, no matter who you are or the job you do. But millions of our workers are denied a fair share of the wealth they create.
“The Prime Minister keeps talking about levelling up – let’s see it for the low paid. Get the minimum wage up to £10 an hour without delay. And give key workers the pay rise they earned.
Lynn added that this isn’t just about doing the right thing for workers. High streets and businesses in Staffordshire and Cheshire won’t recover if people have nothing to spend. "Pay growth is fuel in the tank. It will drive our recovery much faster, supporting business growth and job creation.”