Not only does the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition support the demand for £10/hour minimum wage but our representatives and supporters actively campaign for it, and not just at elections either.
£10/hour represents the minimum that's needed for a genuine living wage. Even the current official 'Living Wage' is only enough to get by on if it is supplemented by working benefits. Poverty wages are the reason why the majority of people claiming benefits are in work.
When wages are any less than £10/hour then the Government is effectively subsidising low-paying employers with our taxes and resources that could be used for our services. Supermarkets, which include some of the biggest, wealthiest businesses on our high streets (or retail parks anyway - they're killing town centres) are subsidised to the tune of £11 billion a year to pay poverty wages to the workers that generate their profits.
Why should we subsidise these giant corporations to pay poverty wages? With smaller businesses who genuinely couldn't afford to pay that much, there could be a case for the state helping them to pay (after all we subsidise them now by paying low paid workers benefits). But that would only happen if they opened their books to trade union scrutiny to prove that they really couldn't afford it. They would also have to prove that they pay their taxes in full because many low-paying firms are also implicated in tax-dodging.
Of course even £10/hour won't lift workers out of poverty if they are not guaranteed enough hours to earn a wage to put food on the table. That is why TUSC also demands zero-hours and other super-exploitative contracts are abolished along with minimum wage exceptions, like discriminatory youth rates.
All of this is TUC policy since the last Trades Union Congress but the Labour Party, which many trade unions continue.to pour money into, will only promise to raise the minimum wage to £8/hour in 5 years' time. Even their promise to end zero hours contracts are hedged around with small print.
There is only one party contesting this election that is proud to stand on TUC policy and that's TUSC.
TUSC supporters and representatives campaign to raise the minimum wage with other trade unionists and will continue to do so whatever the result of this election. The picture accompanying this post shows us supporting the Bakers' Union, BFAWU, and other trade unionists, calling on workers to join a union and fight for £10/hour on a global day of action (15 April) for trade union rights in the fast food industry.
If you're a trade unionist who thinks the party your union funds should fight for trade union policies or if you're a low-paid worker who supports our demand for £10/hour then get involved with TUSC and help us to fight for £10 now and beyond the election.
Ronnie Job
TUSC Candidate, Swansea West
£10/hour represents the minimum that's needed for a genuine living wage. Even the current official 'Living Wage' is only enough to get by on if it is supplemented by working benefits. Poverty wages are the reason why the majority of people claiming benefits are in work.
When wages are any less than £10/hour then the Government is effectively subsidising low-paying employers with our taxes and resources that could be used for our services. Supermarkets, which include some of the biggest, wealthiest businesses on our high streets (or retail parks anyway - they're killing town centres) are subsidised to the tune of £11 billion a year to pay poverty wages to the workers that generate their profits.
Why should we subsidise these giant corporations to pay poverty wages? With smaller businesses who genuinely couldn't afford to pay that much, there could be a case for the state helping them to pay (after all we subsidise them now by paying low paid workers benefits). But that would only happen if they opened their books to trade union scrutiny to prove that they really couldn't afford it. They would also have to prove that they pay their taxes in full because many low-paying firms are also implicated in tax-dodging.
Of course even £10/hour won't lift workers out of poverty if they are not guaranteed enough hours to earn a wage to put food on the table. That is why TUSC also demands zero-hours and other super-exploitative contracts are abolished along with minimum wage exceptions, like discriminatory youth rates.
All of this is TUC policy since the last Trades Union Congress but the Labour Party, which many trade unions continue.to pour money into, will only promise to raise the minimum wage to £8/hour in 5 years' time. Even their promise to end zero hours contracts are hedged around with small print.
There is only one party contesting this election that is proud to stand on TUC policy and that's TUSC.
TUSC supporters and representatives campaign to raise the minimum wage with other trade unionists and will continue to do so whatever the result of this election. The picture accompanying this post shows us supporting the Bakers' Union, BFAWU, and other trade unionists, calling on workers to join a union and fight for £10/hour on a global day of action (15 April) for trade union rights in the fast food industry.
If you're a trade unionist who thinks the party your union funds should fight for trade union policies or if you're a low-paid worker who supports our demand for £10/hour then get involved with TUSC and help us to fight for £10 now and beyond the election.
Ronnie Job
TUSC Candidate, Swansea West
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