Unions warn inflation is still 'painfully high' as industrial disputes continue

18 October 2023 , 11:08

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Unite general secretary Sharon Graham has called on the Government to assist workers and their families who are struggling. (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Unions have warned that inflation remains "painfully high" as the cost-of-living crisis continues to fuel industrial disputes. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham has called on the Government to assist workers and their families who are struggling with rising bills.

She stated: "As the cost-of-living crisis nears its second winter, millions of people face the prospect yet again of choosing between heating and eating."

"Headline inflation is still painfully high. In the real world, prices are still rising at a punishing rate."

"For all his talk about 'tough choices', the Prime Minister has failed to make the obvious one it is time to help out ordinary people by taxing the excess profits of the businesses lining their pockets at our expense."

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak also commented: "Bills and prices are still going up just a bit more slowly than they were a year ago."

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"While other countries have acted decisively to reduce cost-of-living pressures, working families and businesses here remain seriously under the cosh."

"The UK is teetering on the brink of recession, with employment falling as companies scramble to cut costs."

"The Conservatives' lack of a credible economic plan is costing us dear. Britain cannot afford the Tories."

The TUC revealed that its analysis shows the UK has the highest rate of inflation among the G7 nations.

Paddy Lillis, general secretary of the shop workers' union Usdaw, criticised the Chancellor's recent comments. He said: "The Chancellor's assertion yesterday that 'people have more money in their pockets' shows that he is totally out of touch with the real lives of workers."

He also questioned the validity of wage growth claims, stating: "Claims that wage growth is outstripping inflation can only be made if compared with a fundamentally flawed measure of price rises."

He added: "CPI does not reflect the price increases most people experience RPI is a much better measure and that remains higher than average wage growth. Even under the flawed CPI measure, wage growth was only marginally higher, which is no compensation for over a decade of real terms income cuts."

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Steve Charnock