A survey of UNISON Scotland members shows that the overwhelming
majority are struggling to get by financially. Years of high inflation and
stagnant wages have left public service workers finding it difficult to make
ends meet.
Statistics from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) on Household Cost
Indices (HCI) and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) underline what members
know – costs of basic essentials are climbing. Even where recent pay
settlements for public service workers have matched or slightly exceeded
inflation, they have not reversed over a decade of real-terms income decline.
This briefing summarises the findings of the UNISON survey and the ONS
data on how costs are continuing to grow.