The Retail Prices Index (RPI) rate dipped slightly to 5.2%, while the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rate rose to 4%.
Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “The Government’s ‘job done’ attitude on inflation shows a level of complacency that leaves too many families still facing eye-watering price increases on everyday essentials. Inflation remains double the target rate of 2% and the Government has completely failed to tackle a cost of living crisis that has impacted working people for over two and a half years.
“Inflation first went above the target rate in May 2021 and peaked in double figures for six months. Ongoing very high price increases, particularly on food items, leave too many workers struggling to make ends meet. Food inflation remains double the headline rate at 8%, which has a severe impact on low-paid workers struggling to make ends meet.
“Growth in regular pay is slowing and now stands at 6.6%, so low-paid workers are falling into further financial difficulty as prices on many essential items are rising faster than wages. Our members need lasting solutions with a new deal for workers. Only Labour is pledged to deliver the new deal Usdaw has long campaigned for. Only Labour has the policies and ideas that can put the country back on track.”
The next Labour Government will deliver a new deal that includes:
- Making work pay with a genuine living wage that people can actually live on.
- Banning zero-hours contracts.
- Ending fire and rehire.
- Giving workers basic rights from day one.
- Going further and faster in closing the gender pay gap.
- Making work more family friendly.
- Tackling sexual harassment.
- Ensuring that unions can stand up for their members.
- Boosting collective bargaining, to improve workers’ pay, terms and conditions.
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is one of the fastest growing unions in the TUC and the UK's fifth biggest trade union with around 360,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemical industry and other trades www.usdaw.org.uk