Women’s Officer for UNISON Branch highlights the impact of the cost-of-living Crisis at Unison Branch AGM 2023. Anne McVicker, stated in her report that the poorest households, have:
- ‘fallen into debt with no cushion to cope with the rising prices’
- ‘soaring energy bills’
- ‘record levels of inflation making essentials like food and fuel unaffordable’
- ‘neither wages nor Social Security support have risen sufficiently to cushion the blow’
Our members have reported, women skipping meals and going without, turning off their heating when children are not at home, making their own sanitary products because they cannot simply afford to get by any other way. Not to mention the impact this is having on physical and mental health and well-being.
The cost of living is disproportionately impacting women; women have been bearing the brunt of welfare reform long before the recent cost of living crisis.
The National women’s conference was a chance to voice those concerns across public, private, community and voluntary sectors representing the diversity of UNISON membership.
Conference highlights can be found here:
https://www.unison.org.uk/news/2023/02/the-cost-of-living-crisis-hits-home-for-working-women/