‘We need solidarity’—voices from the unions

‘We have £10 left to last us the month’

Sarah Allen Melville, PCS rep in Revenue & Customs

“I work part-time, earning £14,000 a year, as I have two primary school age children.

Right now me and my husband have £10 left to last us to the end of the month.

My son needs new shoes for school but we can’t afford the risk that he will grow out of them by September.

If I pay an extra £36 a month into my pension, and work an extra eight years, I will still lose £75,000 in my pension pot over 20 years.”

‘We’ve got to strike and make a stand’

Emily, a secondary school teacher in Liverpool

“As far as I’m concerned, the pension changes are a pay cut. I’ll have £100 less in my pay packet every month.

I have to be in work at 8.15am, and I never leave before six or seven in the evening.

We have half an hour’s break a day. When I get home, I still have marking to do.

And for the first time I’m worried about losing my job. We’ve got to strike and make a stand.”

‘We need solidarity between us’

Alan Jenney, Unite rep at Fujitsu, Crewe

“Unite union members at Fujitsu IT in Crewe are set to join the strikes on Thursday against the company singling me out for redundancy.

The union believes I am being targeted because I am a rep, which has happened to a number of other people.

We are picketing in Crewe and then some of us plan to go to the rally in Manchester.

We all feel that we are in much the same boat as other workers. We need solidarity between everyone.”