NEVER A MORE CHALLENGING TIME FOR TRADE UNIONS THIS INTERNATIONAL WORKERS’ DAY, Northern TUC is celebrating our workplace representatives – the front-of-house army who have continued to represent, negotiate, plan, ballot, strike and lead from the front, right through the pandemic. And we are assured in knowing that they will continue as the movement fights against the most recent swathe of attacks on the one million plus workers located across the North-East and Cumbria. The fact of the matter is that, in the words of Frances O’Grady’s opening address to our Annual Conference in March, there has never been a more challenging time for trade unions than right now. We say that a lot, but it is serious for our representatives. Let’s look at why. WAGES In the north-east of our region, 173,470 key workers earn below £10 an hour, representing 43% of all key workers. The workers whom we clapped and cheered at our doorsteps are not only trapped in poverty pay, but subject to patronising platitudes from this government – who have repeatedly failed to provide employment security and pay rises, or to act to solve the care crisis which is now standing at thousands of job vacancies across the region. Why would people go into a career where, just to go to work, you have to pay through unpaid travel time, uniforms costs and underpaid mileage rates – and provide your own transport? In residential settings, there are workers who become one of these statistics just by crossing authority boundaries and receiving a different rate of pay. CHILD POVERTY According to the latest available regional data, child poverty levels in this region are the second highest in the country behind London - a shocking statistic, which is a result of the years of austerity governance and failure to hold big business to account. Food banks are celebrated daily for their community spirit and local business contributions, but the systemic 6 | TYNE & WEAR MAY DAY 2022|
causes are yet to be addressed. But when you analyse key worker households, you find the situation is even more provocative. 56,198 children in such households in the North-East – 29% – are living in poverty. Between 2019/20 and 2020/21, food bank usage across the NorthEast rose by 26%. UNEMPLOYMENT Unemployment within the region stands at 5.5%. This is well above the national average of 4% and is the highest in the UK. I mentioned earlier the vacancies that are currently held, but for many people the lack of access to affordable transport, childcare and skills to undertake the work are missing from the system. NET ZERO There are a number of net-zero projects which have the potential to bring in thousands of jobs across the region and also to market our region globally, as the biggest offshore wind farm in the world (when joined with Yorkshire and Humberside). Nevertheless, these projects have yet to provide significant jobs or income to the region, nor was any major new investment announced in the recent ‘levelling up‘ White Paper.
