Workers across Wales taking industrial action or getting strike ready will have their voices heard in a series of major rallies at the weekend.
UNISON Cymru/Wales has joined forces with trades councils in Swansea and Cardiff for the key events supporting workers currently on the picket lines or preparing to strike.
The rallies will be held on Saturday August 20 with the first in Cardiff outside the city’s central library at 12noon and the second in Swansea at 1pm at Castle Square.
The relentless cost of living crisis is devastating the lives of millions of workers and their families and workers are rightly demanding above inflation pay rises, protection of hard-won terms and conditions and job security.
Rail workers, BT & Openreach staff have already started well-supported strike action and will soon be joined by postal workers and others in a fight to protect their future.
In the Autumn they will be joined by millions of public sector workers, teachers, health workers, council workers, civil servants and others who have all been offered derisory, below inflation pay awards after over a decade of austerity and pay freezes.
NHS workers in Wales are currently being balloted for strike action over pay and conditions and Hugh McDyer, head of health for UNISON Cymru/Wales, will be speaking at the event in Swansea on Saturday.
He said: “Events like these are crucial to highlighting the appalling situation so many hard-working families are finding themselves in through no fault of their own.
“UNISON gives a voice to everyone working in the public sector in Wales.
“All public sector workers are being forced to deal with a toxic mix of a decade of cuts combined with low wages and sky high fuel and energy bills.”
Emma Garson, secretary of UNISON’s Cardiff County branch, said: “The current political cost-of-living crisis has seen hard working people across the UK forced into fighting for a decent wage to cope with the soaring cost of inflation and fuel poverty.
“We’ve got members who worked throughout the pandemic to serve the most vulnerable who are now struggling to survive; teaching assistants unable to pay bills, carers who can’t afford the fuel needed to visit people in their homes as well as members being forced into using food banks and UNISON welfare services while the UK Government squeezes local authority services to breaking point.
“Enough is enough and that’s why the whole trade union movement must unite around the slogan “All Strike Together”.
“An injustice to one is an injustice to all so Cardiff Trades Union Council is hosting a solidarity rally in Cardiff this weekend.”
