Anticipation ahead of next week’s budget is now at fever pitch. Our call to Government has been to bridge the inflation gap through investment in public services. When wages aren’t keeping up with rising costs, Government must respond with financial assistance and by improving the services that people rely on every day.
It’s easy to talk about the cost-of-living crisis as if it’s an abstract issue and to quote statistics about inflation. But we can’t lose sight of the fact that at its core this is a bread-and-butter issue. Quite literally - the cost of bread and butter, and everything else, just keeps going up.
In next week’s Budget we want to see clear commitments from Government that they will use the public purse to provide cost of living supports and to invest in the public services that will improve life for everyone in this country and make it a little bit easier to get by. Last year the household energy credits, and the introduction of free schoolbooks, were examples of tangible measures that had a real impact. This year we need to see creative thinking and investment in childcare, in education, in health, the things that shape our daily lives.
Action is also needed to address rising mortgage interest rates, which affects not only homeowners when monthly repayments go up, but renters too, as landlords decide to sell or to increase rents.
As we begin to see analysts pointing to a possible slow down in the economy, we again reiterate our message that now is not the time to reduce the tax base, but instead to make the public investment needed to make everyday life more affordable.
Of course, employers must step up to the plate too and this includes the Government. Building Momentum expires at the end of 2023, and last week the ICTU Public Services Committee, which I chair, agreed its four pillars for negotiations on a possible new public service agreement. Our priority will be to ensure that wherever the Budget doesn’t go far enough to address the cost of living, pay increases for public sector workers must make up the difference. You can read more about our approach below.
One creative measure Government could announce next week that would demonstrate their appreciation of the contribution workers make to our society and economy, and the role trade unions play in ensuring fairness at work, would be to announce tax relief on union subscriptions. Fórsa continues to campaign for a reversal of this austerity-era decision to eliminate this tax relief. Strong unions mean strong workforces so this policy would benefit workers and the wider economy.
Our union is a strong union. We are proud of our colleagues in Local Government who recently undertook industrial action. They secured a commitment to a roadmap for job evaluation in local authorities.
Our members and officials in health are engaged in several disputes all of which have fairness and respect at their heart. From today, clerical admin members will begin a work to rule action, and on Tuesday October 17th our members delivering health services in the community and voluntary sector will begin indefinite strike action. I hope you will join with me in standing in solidarity with members across all our divisions.
Thank you for your continued support.
Yours,
Kevin Callinan
General Secretary.
There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.
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