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Wales will be there for June 18

People are and should be angry at fifteen years of stagnant wages, a crisis now being reinforced by soaring bills and politicians that don't care — that's why Wales TUC is calling its members to the streets of London, writes GARETH HATHWAY

THE 1976 film Network, set in a US newsroom, famously encouraged its angry viewers to shout out of the window about their frustration at being ignored by politicians: “I’m a human being god dammit, my life has value!”

I wonder what an angry Peter Finch would make of today’s world.

We have emerged from the depths of the Covid crisis only to find ourselves in a fresh disaster — one that threatens to plunge millions into poverty.

On top of that we can clearly see the pre-pandemic economic order trying to re-assert itself. Whether that’s Jacob Rees Mogg leaving snarky notes trying to bully civil servants back into the office. Or right-wing “experts” trying to convince us to forget the lessons of the pandemic response.

But we will not forget how the past two years demonstrated — once again — that when the political will exists, government policy can swiftly and effectively protect people and improve the quality of their lives.

Just as we also won’t forget hearing woefully out of touch Tory MP’s telling those who are sleeping in hoodies to keep warm that they just need to buy a cheaper brand of beans and everything will be OK.

People are angry and they have every right to be. The fact is, real wages are in freefall across the economy.

What is truly terrifying is that this fall is in the context of 15 years of stagnant wages for workers. This is an economic catastrophe almost without precedent.

Living standards have totally stalled and there is no sign that the people who hold the power to do something about it have any inclination or desire to act.

Projections show incomes in 2027 will still be below 2007 levels. That’s two full lost decades. This is the devastating result of 12 years of economic mismanagement at Westminster.

No one will escape the impact. But — as ever — it will be the most vulnerable and the lowest paid who take the biggest hit. In Wales we live in a country where 1 in 3 children are raised in poverty. That should be a constant source of shame to us all.

We can’t afford to stand by and watch this cost-of-living crisis unfold. We have to fight. Whilst the desire to stand and shout is real, we have to put that anger into action.

That means organising our workplaces. It’s time to ramp up our union activism and take back control at work. But we also have to bring that fight to those who hold the levers of power.

It’s time for a new deal for working people. Enough is enough. We need real help with energy bills, we need to end the gangster capitalist tactic of fire and rehire and we need decent sick pay for all.

That’s why on June 18 the Wales TUC and our affiliated unions will be out on the streets of London to march in protest at the UK government’s lack of action in tackling the cost of living crisis.

This is going to be the biggest union march in years. We’re hoping to see tens of thousands of workers from all across the UK coming together to send a clear and unambiguous message to 10 Downing Street that we won’t let them ignore the consequences of their inaction.

Next week the Wales TUC will be meeting in Llandudno for our Congress. We will be looking to mobilise our membership to show Westminster that they can no longer ignore us. That we deserve better. No, we demand better — “I'm a human being god dammit, my life has value!”

I want Welsh trade unionists and activists to be fully represented and visible on June 18. I encourage everyone to go to our website, sign up and in the meantime spread the word to friends, family and colleagues. If we don’t take action now we’ll be condemned to drifting along with ever-rising inequality and having to accept the scraps that are thrown from the table.

We have to use every means at our disposal to fight for a fairer economy. Join us in London in June and let’s put down a marker that we’re not going back to the failed austerity politics of the past.

Gareth Hathway is organising and development officer for Wales TUC.

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