Households in 'everyday struggle' despite small fall in inflation
The fall in the consumer price index (CPI) masks the everyday struggle for millions of working people with prices still rising at double the rate of wages, warned Unite, the country's largest union, today (Tuesday 14 January).
Pointing to a rise in the retail price index (RPI) measure of inflation, Unite general secretary Len McCluskey repeated his call for the national minimum wage (NMW) to be raised by £1.50 an hour to ease the cost of living crisis and put purchasing power back into wallets and purses.
Len McCluskey said:
“The slight fall in consumer price inflation is to be welcomed, but it masks the grim reality for millions of people who are struggling to meet their everyday bills, as wages are lagging well behind inflation.
“RPI is still rising and households are still in the grip of Cameron and Osborne's cost of living crisis, with extortionate rises in energy prices, childcare and rail fares yet to work their way through.
“Ministers need to commit to raise the minimum wage by £1.50 an hour and the corporate sector, which has a cash mountain, should heed the call of CBI director general John Cridland for workers to share in the new found prosperity.”
