Fabia Pollard has never been to a parliamentary lobby before but she’s decided to join the TUC’s day of action on 2 November to try to make MPs understand what’s going on in the real world.
“Like everybody else I’m really worried about my fuel bill going up,” she tells UNISON Eastern. “I’ve got colleagues and friends who are really struggling. I’d really like my MP to just understand the position people are in, unless you’re having to make those decisions it’s hard to get it.”
Fabia has already started working with activists from other unions through her local trades council in Kings Lynn – “we’re a small branch so we act with other unions, it’s a chance to part of something really big” – and her desire to head to Westminster was reinforced by a recent TUC leafletting session.
“We took part in the TUC day of action on 14 October and people were really eager to chat to us. They wanted to know what action they could take. I want to be able to use my voice to make politicians understand.”
As a first-time lobbyist, any potential fears she had about going to the Commons have been allayed by the backing she’s had from the organisers.
“I’ve got to say the support has been really good. It’s been very easy to organise.”
