We’re not feeling it, George

 

Working people are not feeling George Osborne’s recovery. A poll by ComRes today confirmed that for three in four people, the recovery is as real as unicorns.

 

 

Nobody is surprised by this at Unite, and here’s why.   George Osborne has not only failed to deliver his own promises on the deficit and the debt, but he is making the people of this country work harder but get poorer.

 

 

Don’t take our word for it, though.  Here’s what Unite members have to say about life after four and a half years of mindless austerity.

 

 

Unite members on the pay squeeze:

 

 

“My pay has dropped by at least 20% over the past few years, but my workload hasn’t.”

 

 

“My wage has been frozen since 2009.”

 

 

“If I received the pay rise long overdue to me, I would not have to choose between food, or gas, or electric.”

 

 

“I’ve had to take a second job to balance my household bills and food shopping.”

 

 

“All my wages go on my bills. Life is so tough I need a rise. I used to be able to go out but not any more.”

 

 

Unite members on the struggle to survive at the sharp end of the cost of living crisis:

 

 

“I work very hard, love my job but sometimes I struggle to provide for my family.”

 

 

“I love my job and making a difference but cannot afford to pay my bills!”

 

 

“I work unpaid overtime every day just to achieve the bare minimum for the children on my far too big caseload.”

 

 

“Paying the rent, council tax and all household bills is a constant worry.”

 

 

“We’re living in debt, working longer for less.”

 

 

“As a family we are financially worse off than 8 years ago.”

 

 

“Everything costs more and my salary has gone down.”

 

 

“I work hard, have spent years training but I am struggling to pay the bills.”

 

 

Unite members also say the Coalition has helped the better off more than them:

 

 

“It’s wrong for my family’s living standards to keep falling while the rich get richer.”

 

 

“I pay my taxes not like some well off people.”

 

Unite members working in the NHS speak for many of those in public service:

 

“I have worked hard for the NHS for almost 37 years and I feel let down.”

 

 

“I’m tired of feeling like a second class citizen, just because I work for the NHS.”

 

 

“I’m increasingly expected to do more for less pay.  I’m undervalued and over-stretched.”

 

 

“I have never taken industrial action over pay and conditions. Now I fear for the future of the NHS.”

 

 

“I am a front line health professional who feels undervalued yet my bosses get rises.”

 

 

 

“Due to cuts in the NHS and the push to be more efficient I am now working 44-55 hour a week!”