Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/532/4084
From The Socialist newspaper, 7 May 2008
TUC attacks Labour on working poverty
A TIMELY report by the TUC, Hard Work, Hidden Lives, shows that New Labour politicians have much to learn about the lives of the working-class people who pushed them into power and could shove them out again.
The report says that over two million people have to endure "intolerably poor working lives" that include daily exploitation and abuse from employers. Employers use legal loopholes to ensure that employment practices that were seen as exploitative in the 19th century, are returning in the 21st. More and more workers are doing unpaid overtime in insecure low-paid jobs.
1.4 million poor children live in working households - the same figure as in 1997. One in seven of all working households are poor. One-fifth of all workers, 5.3 million people, are paid less than £6.67 an hour (two-thirds of the median wage). In some regions, (such as Wales, the West Midlands, the West Country) over 40% are very low-paid.
The TUC has amassed huge amounts of information about the conditions faced by workers and their families. Will it just hide it away for fear of embarrassing New Labour? They should be encouraging unions to use the figures in fighting industrial and political campaigns to improve workers' pay and conditions of work and life.
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In The Socialist 7 May 2008:
Coventry: Socialist election success shows the way forward
Meltdown for Brown - but he won't change course
Elections round-up and results
Election victories for class fighters
Socialist Party news and analysis
Grangemouth refinery: Oil strike wins concessions
TUC attacks Labour on working poverty
Bangor Socialist Students fight tuition fees
Album review: The Bright Lights of America
Socialist Party Marxist analysis
France 1968: Capitalism brought to its knees
How workers and youth are building a Left alternative in France
Sri Lanka: 25 years of war and conflict
May Day Greetings
May Day Greetings 2008 in The Socialist (p4)
May Day Greetings 2008, The Socialist (p6)
May Day Greetings 2008, The Socialist (p7)
May Day Greetings 2008, The Socialist (p9)
May Day Greetings 2008, The Socialist (p10)
May Day Greetings 2008, The Socialist (p11)
May Day Greetings 2008, The Socialist (p15)
Socialist Party workplace news
Unison witch-hunt: Defend the four, come to the lobby!
Mark Thomas condemns witch-hunt
'Raising the roof' at Usdaw conference
National Shop Stewards Network second conference
Come to the 2008 Campaign for a New Workers' Party conference
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