Councillor say it was going Back to the Eighties joining picket line in Kirkby

Last week, I went back to the Eighties looking more like Doc Brown.

During successive Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020, we all stood on our doorsteps to clap for our NHS and other key workers.

Fast forward three years and strike action is rising.

Workers across the NHS, schools, fire service, transport and civil service have all taken industrial action in rows over pay and conditions.

The Conservative government are facing the biggest wave of industrial action since the 1984-85 miners’ strike. The miners’ strike still impacts places like Ashfield and Nottinghamshire. Wounds are still open as communities were pitted against communities.

Last week, I went back to the Eighties. I was pleased to join Emma Pitchfield and Lynda Hornsey on their picket line in Kirkby. They are members of the Public and Commercial Services Union.

As the cost-of-living crisis gets worse, with inflation at nearly 11 per cent, they have had enough of being treated appallingly by the Conservative Government.

Their campaign is for a decent pay rise, job security and no cuts in redundancy terms. Fair pay, for a fair day’s work.

In real terms, the average public sector wage is now 4 per cent lower than it was in 2007. It’s no wonder Emma and Lynda were talking about how their disposal income has been hit. This is money that could be spent locally.

They made it clear that industrial action is a last resort. I have every sympathy with them, our nurses, our teachers, our train drivers, our fire brigade staff and everyone else taking a stand.

Our local Conservative MPs are quick to condemn our key workers for striking. They have voted to ban them from doing so again and threatened them with the sack if they do.

These are the very key workers, we all supported by standing on our doorsteps who are now standing on picket lines.

I have every sympathy with their plight and will have no hesitation in standing on picket lines again with them in Ashfield.