PRESS RELEASE – PUBLIC SECTOR STRIKE ACTION ON 10TH JULY 2014

Letterhead/format: Internal BA​Appendix 1

Public and Commercial Services Union

PCS WIGAN BRANCH Branch Secretary: Steve Finch DWP Brocol House, 73 King Street, Wigan WN1 1EB.

PRESS RELEASE – PUBLIC SECTOR STRIKE ACTION ON 10TH JULY 2014

On Thursday 10th July over 1.5 million workers will be taking strike action across the UK. Firemen,Health workers, teachers, lecturers, council workers, tube staff, immigration and passport staff, job centres and courts will be united to take part in in strike action on a mass scale. The 24 hour strike action covers the industrial issue of the public sector pay cap, changes to pensions and cuts to the public sector which affect every single member of the public who rely on its services.

There has been a suppression of wages in both the public and private sector and relentless driving down of living standards. Public sector workers have lost up to 20% of the value of their wages since the crash in 2008. Some public sector workers have been on an effective pay freeze for eight years.

Inequality in our society is deepening. 23% of working age adults are living in poverty - the highest level since 2000 and an average household incomes are down 8.5% in real terms since 2009/10. The bottom four-fifths are worse off in the last year – only the top 20% are slightly better off. However, since 1999 the minimum wage has increased by 75%, but top executive’s pay is up 380%. In 1998, directors’ pay was 40 times the average worker, now it’s 140 times as much.

This is in the context of the dismantling and privatisation of the NHS and Royal Mail, and introduction of much harsher benefit regimes which punish the sick and unemployed.

PCS believes that Britain needs a payrise. Current wages cannot keep up with the cost of living. After four years of a pay freeze and cap, with PCS members paying more into their occupational pensions, some have seen our incomes fall by 20%. Unequal pay is rife, with some paid £3,000 than their colleagues doing similar work in the same department and women paid up to 14% less than men. The so called economic recovery is not being felt by ordinary working men and women.

Steve Finch, PCS DWP Wigan Branch Secretary said “The meagre economic recovery is only benefiting the rich. The richest 1,000 people in the country increased their wealth last year by enough to give every working person a £2,000 pay rise. We need a recovery for everyone. Our members regularly tell us ‘there is not enough month left at the end of the money’. Enough is enough. Politicians of all parties say there is less money around but this is nonsense. The energy companies are taking it in higher bills, the rail companies with higher fares, landlords with higher rents, and banks and tax dodging companies are hoarding it in tax havens. These attacks all stem from the same source, the government. So in order to defeat them we must stick together and coordinate a joint response through taking strike action together – and keep taking until we win.”

Note to Editors:

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There are over 3500 union members from over 20 unions taking strike action in Wigan area on 10th July in unions representing health workers, council staff, jobcentre and courts staff etc.

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Picket lines will be at Wigan Jobcentre (King St), Makerfield Benefit Centre (Bryn),Leigh Jobcentre (Windermere Rd), Atherton Jobcentre (Market St) from 7.30am to 9.30am

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Following picket lines there will be a rally in the Market Place, Wigan town centre from11am to 12.30pm 

PUBLIC AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES Union