Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : TUC – Ministers must act now on pay [December 2022]

The press release issued by the TUC on 13 December 2022.

Commenting on today’s (Tuesday) labour market figures published by the ONS, which show real wages falling by 3.9 per cent (on CPI measure) as the cost of living crisis intensifies, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

“2022 has been the worst year for real wage growth in nearly half a century.

“We are now on the brink of a damaging recession with the threat of one million lost jobs.

“Ministers must act now to put money in people’s pockets – starting with boosting the minimum wage and giving our public sector workers a pay rise to match the cost of living.

”And the Prime Minister should stop attacking working people trying to defend their pay, and sit down to negotiate fair pay rises with unions.”

Analysis published by the TUC yesterday (Monday) showed 2022 is set to be the worst year for real wage growth in nearly half a century. Working people have lost, on average, £76 a month in 2022 as a result of their pay not keeping pace with inflation.