Congress unanimously backed a motion that called for a united campaign of coordinated industrial action across both the private and public sectors in the fight back against below inflation pay rises and rising levels of in work poverty.
The mover of the motion, PCS, highlighted a survey they had run on the impact of the cost of living crisis on their members. 12,000 members responded to the survey and shared their experiences which included members who were unable to turn their heating on because of the soaring energy costs and ones who had skipped meals due to the staggering increases in the cost of food. Some PCS members, who work within the Department of work and Pensions (DWP), reported that they their take home pay is worth less than the benefits that they were administering.
Lyn Marie O’Hara, speaking for UNISON, stated that “We were not suffering from a cost of living crisis but from the cost of greed which has put our members into a crisis. We bailed out the banks and all we got in return was food banks and heat banks.”
She went on to say, “There is ongoing strike action across Scotland and there have been a significant numbers of strike days taken over the last twelve months. It is important to remember that your fight is our fight and we must stand together.”
She concluded with a call to action, “If you know that there is a local workplace taking strike action, it is vital that you get along to their picket line to show solidarity because when we stand together, we will win.”