Bleak Times Continue Says GMB

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• Bleak Times Continue Says GMB

26 February 2016 | Updated 01 January 1970

Many workers In cleaning, caring, leisure and service occupations are still suffering from the decline in their standards of living from the last recession according to the latest annual survey by the GMB union.

While their earnings are down on average in real terms by 15.4% From 2007, the GMB believes Chancellor George Osborne’s statement that the UK economy will be 12% bigger in 2020 means little if those disadvantaged workers fail to receive pay rises above inflation to make up the lost ground from the recession that began in 2008.

The GMB states it has found that the real value of earnings in six of the nine main occupational groups has not recovered from the recession in 2008. Overall in 2007 average earnings for all employees were £30,015. In 2015 average earnings have increased by 12.2% to £33,689. During this period inflation has been 25.6%. This still leaves average earnings for all employees 13.4% below 2007 level.

Industrial cleaning process occupations who have seen real value of earnings drop by 24.3%, elementary cleaning occupations (toilet attendants; chimney cleaner) have seen a fall by 18.8%, kitchen and catering assistants, 15.2%, cleaners, domestics, 12.9%, hospital porters, 11.8%, refuse and salvage occupations, 10.2%, postal workers, mail sorters, messengers, couriers, 9.5%, packers, bottlers, canners, fillers, 8.6%, shelf fillers, 8.5%, farm workers, 8.2%, launderers, dry cleaners, pressers, 8.1%, window cleaners, 6.6% and forestry workers, 2.7%.

This data is from a new analysis by GMB of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) 2015 Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) compared with comparable data from 2007.

Picture: Cleaners have suffered in real terms with wages that are still well below their value in real terms according to the GMB survey

Article written by Mike Gannon | Published 26 February 2016

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