The Socialist 15 March 2007

£billions for rich... Pennies for us!

Minimum wage insult

UNISON Health group votes for summer demo

Hewitt's 'day of exchange'

Fighting the cuts in Camden

Lambeth council attacks services for vulnerable people

Barking BNP don't oppose council cuts

Lewisham council's outrageous attack

Kurdish asylum seekers living in fear

Northern Ireland Assembly elections: Another sectarian headcount...

We Won't Pay Campaign conference success

Solidarity builds party profile ahead of elections

February revolution 1917 - what lessons for today?

US continues threats over Iran's nuclear ambitions

Iraq war: Convicted Bush official is 'fall guy' over WMD scandal

Celebrating International Women's Day

Tenants vote no to council housing sell-off

Market-driven 'social housing' threatens tenants

Will government plans stop climate change?

Build the campaign to defeat fees

International Socialist Resistance (ISR) and Socialist Students conference

Trade Unions and the Labour Party: CWU branch asks some awkward questions

Campaign for a New Workers' Party conference

Reinstate Dave Condliffe now

UNISON leaders lead members into dead end

SOUTHAMPTON council strike

PCS prepares for more struggles

Right wins lecturers' union leadership - on a 14% turnout

Previous issues, etc

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Minimum wage insult

THE 'GENEROUS' October increase in the adult minimum wage will be 17p an hour - effectively a pay cut for over a million low-paid workers.

Bob Severn

The change in the minimum wage from £5.35 to £5.52 an hour is only a 3% increase, despite an 11-year high of almost 5% in the Retail Price Index measure of inflation.

For 18-21 year-olds, the minimum wage will go from £4.45 to £4.60, while 16 and 17 year-olds get a massive rise of 10p to £3.40. The minimum wage change was set by trade secretary Alistair Darling, following the recommendation of the Low Pay Commission.

The bosses' club the CBI should be happy though, after complaining that higher pay rises would "damage business", ie dent the billionaires' profits. Its deputy director-general, John Crindland, has the nerve to say: "With recent rises in inflation and interest rates, this is the year for restraint in the national minimum wage, just as we have seen in the public-sector pay awards."

"Any further heavy increases would also harm many businesses struggling with high energy and pensions costs," Crindland claimed, as if workers do not have utility bills, mortgages or loans to pay.

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) calls for a £6 an hour minimum wage with no reduction for 18-21 year-olds. The Socialist Party supports this call, as a step towards a minimum wage of £8 an hour, close to two-thirds of the average wage.

However decent pay, like decent pensions, cannot be won just by politely asking New Labour. It requires organised action by trade unions.

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£billions for rich... Pennies for us!