Member Article

Longest protracted wage squeeze since 1870s says union

UK workers are suffering the longest squeeze on wages since the 1870s, the TUC say.

Given analysis of inflation and Bank of England data the TUC say real wages in the UK have fallen for 40 consecutive months.

The Office for National Statistics announced yesterday that Inflation rose to its highest point in nearly a year.

The union’s general secretary, Francis O’Grady, said: “The rise in inflation is further bad news for households and the wider economy. Pay has failed to keep pace with prices for over three and a half years now and we are experiencing the longest real wage squeeze since the 1870s.

“These figures expose once again the shallowness of our recovery. Without better jobs and decent pay rises we will not get sustainable growth.”

The UK consumer price index measure of inflation stood at 2.9% on Tuesday, predominantly driven by fuel and clothing price increases.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .