Can Britain have a pay rise?

Steve North, secretary, Salford City Unison (personal capacity)

End low pay! UberEats workers protest over their abysmal wage rates photo Scott Jones (Click to enlarge)

I was recently part of the audience on the BBC programme 'Can Britain have a pay rise'. There were 100 of us seated in ascending order of pay. Earnings ranged from jobseeker's allowance to the Ł1 million salary of Pimlico Plumbers boss Charlie Mullins.

What followed was a discussion about meritocracy: the myth that working hard can get you out of poverty. As somebody who represents care workers, I felt the need to state that anybody who believes this should talk to them. Even the wealthy found that hard to argue with.

We moved on to whether low pay was down to "the bosses". It was great to see a majority agree. Most of the business owners scoffed that it was them who helped people out of poverty by employing them. The answer from workers was: you need us more than we need you!

The third question was whether the Tories' National 'Living' Wage was a good thing. A business owner claimed he had to cut staff numbers because of the increase. He was rightly challenged over his own living standards. But the key point - that small businesses suffer more from the market dominance of big businesses than the rights of workers - was sadly missing.

We finally got to talk about trade unions. I was pleased to pay tribute to two young workers who had unionised their workplaces to protect their rights. Charlie Mullins - who had tried to present himself as a 'compassionate' employer - showed his true colours by attacking unions. He was met with a chorus of responses, declaring that if it weren't for unions workers wouldn't have even the paltry rights we have now.

The last section was on Brexit. Unfortunately I had to leave before this: I was already late for my second job!

'Can Britain have a pay rise' is available on BBC iPlayer until 23 September

Donate to the Socialist Party

Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.

Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.

We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to click here to donate to our Fighting Fund.