Level Up worker voice to create high wage economy

The Prime Minister today (Wednesday 06 October) is to use his speech at Conservative Party conference to declare that we are moving to a new economic model based on high pay and highly skilled jobs.

The Prime Minister will accuse previous governments, including Theresa May’s and David Cameron’s governments of which he was a part, of “delay and dither”.

Prospect general secretary Mike Clancy responded:

“Prospect welcomes the government’s newfound commitment to a high wage economy, but restricting visas and blaming industry is not the way to do it.

“Sustainable wage growth is built on raising productivity and empowering workers to bargain collectively over pay, terms and conditions. If government are serious about this ambition then unions are part of the solution, by levelling up worker voice across the country and investing in R&D to drive productivity gains and create the jobs of the future.

“Finally, if the government wants private sector firms to raise wages, then it is setting a poor example by freezing the wages of public sector workers- ending that pay freeze must be the first step towards achieving the high wage economy that the Prime Minister says he wants to see.”