'We must fight back'

I’m proud to be a local government worker, and I was proud to deliver a service during the very challenging period of lockdown.

But being proud doesn’t feed my family, heat my home or put fuel in my car. For those things I need decent pay, in line with the rate of inflation. But the Tories don’t care what I want, any more than they care what you want. This was highlighted in the recent mini budget.

Cap on banker’s bonuses removed — those five words sum up this current corrupt cruel Tory government.

The Tories look after themselves, their cronies, the millionaires and billionaires. If you’re a worker they will increase your hours, reduce your pay, attack your terms and conditions, plunder your pension and try to destroy your union. And if you have the audacity to be poor they will let you freeze or starve to death.

Poverty and foodbanks have become a way of life for working people and this is a political choice.

We must fight back; we must change the future for workers and communities because we deserve better. Communities deserve properly funded public services, public service workers deserve a pay rise in line with inflation.

By Unite member and social worker Angela Duerden