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| Thousands march for better pay as unions demonstrate across Britain | Thousands march for better pay as unions demonstrate across Britain |
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| Tens of thousands of public sector workers and their supporters have begun rallying in cities across the UK to demand better pay. | |
| The “Britain needs a Payrise” marches, organised by the TUC, are getting underway in London, Glasgow and Belfast in protest at the Government’s offer a 1 per cent pay rise. | |
| Unions say that ordinary people are now facing the biggest squeeze on their incomes since the Victorian period. Average wages have fallen by £50 a week in real terms, while directors now earn 175 times more than the average worker. | |
| Frances O’Grady, the TUC general secretary, said: “Our message is that after the longest and deepest pay squeeze in recorded history, it’s time to end the lock-out that has kept the vast majority from sharing in the economic recovery. | Frances O’Grady, the TUC general secretary, said: “Our message is that after the longest and deepest pay squeeze in recorded history, it’s time to end the lock-out that has kept the vast majority from sharing in the economic recovery. |
| “An economy that finds money for tax cuts for the rich and boardroom greed, while the rest face a pay squeeze and big cuts to the welfare system –that any of us might need – is no longer working for the many.” | “An economy that finds money for tax cuts for the rich and boardroom greed, while the rest face a pay squeeze and big cuts to the welfare system –that any of us might need – is no longer working for the many.” |
| Organisers hope that the public's discontentment at the growing gap between rich and poor will encourage those not affected by the Government’s pay offer to join the marches. | Organisers hope that the public's discontentment at the growing gap between rich and poor will encourage those not affected by the Government’s pay offer to join the marches. |
| In London, demonstrators are marching from Embankment, before gathering at Hyde Park to listen to speakers including comedians Andy Parsons and Amy Lamé. | |
| One of Britain’s largest general unions, GMB, is also joining the marches. Its general secretary, Paul Kenny, said: “Members have faced imposed pay freezes, or derisory pay offers which do not bring earnings up to the levels that were lost during this long running recession. | One of Britain’s largest general unions, GMB, is also joining the marches. Its general secretary, Paul Kenny, said: “Members have faced imposed pay freezes, or derisory pay offers which do not bring earnings up to the levels that were lost during this long running recession. |
| Frances O'Grady, general secretary of the TUC | |
| “Wealth and income inequality in the UK is now once again at pre WW1 levels. The divide in society has never been wider and we are seeing a return to the days of the workhouse with food banks becoming the soup kitchen.” | “Wealth and income inequality in the UK is now once again at pre WW1 levels. The divide in society has never been wider and we are seeing a return to the days of the workhouse with food banks becoming the soup kitchen.” |
| The Government has said that without the modest pay increases for public sector workers jobs and services would be at risk. | The Government has said that without the modest pay increases for public sector workers jobs and services would be at risk. |