Next month hundreds of trade unionists will descend on Westminster to demand better from politicians, lobbying MPs as part of the TUC’s campaign for a real living wage, trade union rights and an economy that works for all of us.
Care worker Joe Nemeth will be making the journey from Essex to Parliament because he’s had enough.
“You talk about trickle-down economics but all the money’s going to the people at the top,” he tells UNISON Eastern. “The people like us at the bottom spend it, but we’re not getting any.”
Joe’s a care worker but after being signed off sick for several months he’s thinking he may have to leave the sector.
“I remember lying in hospital with tubes coming out of me thinking ‘this can’t go on.’ We’re getting £9.50 an hour in care, people get more in the supermarket, it’s absolutely ridiculous.
“If you mess up in care, if you give someone the wrong medication you end up in court – if you drop a tin of beans in Sainsbury’s nothing happens.
“I’m struggling and my colleagues are all struggling too. MPs just have no idea about the reality people are living under.”
He’s already spoken to his MP, Tory Mark Francois, about his concerns in a telephone surgery and will head to Parliament to press home the message this week, having already booked in to see him. He’ll be sharing testimonies from his colleagues on the frontline about how challenging it is working in the private sector on lousy pay.
One worker told Joe: “I’m not sure how they expect you to survive financially to be honest. It’s a sad state of affairs.”
Another said: “Staffing levels are dangerously low. He risk of a mistake happening is massively increased. Staff are tired, overworked and overwhelmed.”
Despite already meeting his MP, Joe will still join his fellow trade unionists in London on 2 November for the TUC’s rally and hopes to see as many of his fellow UNISON Eastern members there as possible.
“It’s a good time to get out and give the message, join the union, work together and tell the people in Parliament they’ve got to sort it out. They’re only gonna listen if we get out and tell them.”
