IAN LAVERY MP warns that decades of neoliberal policies have left former industrial communities behind — but a renewed Labour commitment to working people could change the political landscape
Battles won and battles still to fight in the south-west
South West TUC secretary NIGEL COSTLEY reports on the progress of workers' rights 20 years on from winning the National Minimum Wage
TUC South West secretary Nigel Costley campaigning in the Fair Pay for Cornwall (Gerber tek rak Kernow) campaign of 1999
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IT IS 20 years since the National Minimum Wage was introduced – an achievement the labour movement can be rightly proud of. At the time, I spent a week travelling around Cornwall in an old T&G battle bus giving people advice about the new law.
Labour had been spooked in the face of a massive onslaught from employers and the Tories who claimed jobs would be lost. So the initial rate was modest. But for many workers in places like Cornwall it meant a significant pay rise – especially women workers.
Our little campaign, Fair Pay for Cornwall (Gerber tek rak Kernow), was well received but we met employers stating they planned to fire workers once they reached the age of the higher rate or boasting how they could fiddle it.
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