The Workers Union has urged company chiefs to do ‘everything within their power’ to help with the cost of living squeeze.
In a statement released this morning, a spokesperson for the organisation said: ‘Working people face a crushing squeeze on their living standards as inflation spirals. There are no magic solutions to the problem, but companies must take steps to insulate their workers from some of its worst effects. That means reviewing expenses policies in light of the current situation and offering greater hybrid working opportunities or additional help with commuting costs. It also means grasping the pay nettle and ensuring that wages reflect the current economic reality.’
The statement came after a survey compiled by Totaljobs revealed that 36 percent of people polled think the company they work for should pay overtime. At the same time, 27 percent want subsidies for working from home, while 19 percent favour internet subsidies when home working.
The research also found that 48 percent of people have not received a pay rise in the last 12 months, while the remaining 42 percent who had said that their rises (5 percent or less) were less than the 5.5 percent rate of inflation.
The results of the survey reflect wider fears that the cost of living crisis will force people in key sectors such as health and education to look for other opportunities. Essential workers are more than twice as likely to have handed in their notice in recent weeks, amid fears that their salaries will not go far enough as inflation begins to bite.
The CEO of Totaljobs, Jon Wilson, said: ‘This research illustrates that everyone is feeling the pinch of the rising cost of living – yet it is disproportionately felt by our key workers – to the extent that some are looking to move jobs for one that provides them with more financial security.’
The Workers Union Says…
The truth is that working people – so often the saviours of the country in tough times – need a hand to help them through a difficult period. Fine words and grand gestures will not cut it. They require affirmative action.
Yes, companies must do much more to help leaven the money worries of their staff. Some people will say that this is dangerously close to suggesting that firms owe their staff a living. But this is a wrong-headed, destructive way of looking at the issue. People do their best work when they feel supported and understood by their employers. That is what is at stake here, and that is what employers must move to address before it’s too late.
