1,000 signatures reached
To: The Government
Unison Bucks Health and Community Branch's Thames Valley Allowance Campaign
We call upon the government to listen to the teachers, nurses, and to all public service workers who deserve to be able to feed, clothe and put over a roof over their family’s heads. So we are campaigning for a Thames Valley Cost of living allowance in line with other public sector workers in the south east region in recognition of the extra costs incurred by living in the Thames Valley area.
Why is this important?
The cost of living in the south-east is spiralling out of control. Rental prices have far out stripped incomes.
The situation is causing a real and substantial crisis in the recruitment and retention of public sector workers. Workers are finding the purchasing power of their wages has decreased with the average public sector wage being worth 16% less than it was worth in 2008.
Staffing levels in the NHS and local government have crashed to record lows with 15-20% of positions vacant in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire, remaining workers face worsening job and income positions from rising rents and stagnating wages.
