Brown bashes low-paid workers

LABOUR’S CONTEMPT for low-paid workers was revealed again last week
as Gordon Brown called for "wage discipline" in the public
sector.

Addressing the Amicus trade union conference, Brown made it clear
that any more cash for the public sector will come at the cost of pay
and working conditions.

Any illusions that Brown as Labour leader would be any better for
workers than Tony Blair, should have been finally laid to rest by this
one speech.

Vicky Ingram, a member of UNISON’s local government executive
and joint secretary of the 12,000-strong Derbyshire UNISON, spoke to the
socialist, in a personal capacity:

"I represent thousands of hard-working, low-paid public-sector
workers such as home carers, teaching assistants, cleaners and school
crossing patrols. It’s increasingly clear that all Labour offer us –
whoever is the leader – is low wages, attacks on hard-won terms and
conditions and more privatisation.

"Labour, under either Blair or Brown, unless stopped, will
continue to sell off public services to their friends in the City.

"Of course, MPs appear to be immune from such attacks and
continue to reap pay and pensions benefits from our taxes.

"Neither Blair nor Brown is the answer – working people need a
new party to represent them. It’s time unions like mine stopped hiding
behind Labour and put forward an alternative that trade unionists and
others would see as true representatives of their interests."

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The scandal of unequal Britain

The GMB union has published figures exposing the huge wage gap in
Britain today.

Using official statistics, the union found that top bosses are
getting paid over 16 times more than the poorest-paid workers.

The average wage of directors and chief executives of major
organisations is £162,000, whilst on a 38-hour week, the minimum wage
is only £9,500 a year.

Across the UK, managers and senior officials get 272% of the pay of
people on the lowest grades. In London they get 362%!