Rally in Inverness to highlight cost of living crisis in Highlands and support striking workers will include speakers from GMB Union, Communication Workers Union (CWU), RMT, Unison and Living Rent
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Trade unionists and community activists will stage a rally in Inverness on Saturday to highlight the cost of living crisis in Highlands and in support of striking workers.
It will be held at the Spectrum Centre theatre next to the city's bus station at 1pm.
Activists from GMB Union, the Communication Workers Union (CWU), the RMT and Unison will speak alongside community campaigners from the Living Rent tenant’s union.
Campaigners warn people will die this winter because they will have to choose between heating and eating as the cost of living has become completely unaffordable with skyrocketing costs for food, rent, mortgages and fuel.
They also say workers in many sectors have faced decades of below inflation pay rises, resulting in 20 to 25 per cent pay cuts, in reality.
They say the pressures have led to an increase in strikes by workers including those on the railway, postal services and refuse collection while more such as teachers and health care workers are being balloted.
GMB Scotland representative at NHS Highland Sean Robertson said there needed to be a united fight back for a decent society with work that paid, properly-funded public services and policies such as public ownership of energy.
"Workers in the NHS have been hit especially hard by the cost-of-living crisis," he said.
"A decade of unnecessary and politically motivated austerity including pay restraint means that NHS wages were already over 20 per cent lower in real terms than in 2010.
"This situation cannot continue if we want a sustainable NHS, or economically viable jobs in the service. Health workers love the NHS and the ideals it stands for."
Living Rent activist Lauren Pyott, who is also a BECTU member, said many workers were rightly demanding higher wages to meet soaring inflation.
But if the majority of wages went on extortionate rent, it left left workers in a dire situation.
"Many people have been contemplating a choice between eating or heating their homes this winter," she said.
"With the cost of living crisis at such extreme levels, many will now be facing the prospect of not having a home at all."
Conor Cheyne, a Scotrail employee and RMT Scottish youth officer and Inverness assistant branch secretary. said the cost of living crisis continued to effect every working class person in the country.
He said RMT members across the UK have been striking not only for pay to keep up with ever growing costs but to protect their industries following other companies into the gig economy.
Anyone wanting to get involved in Saturday's rally, should call contact Leah on 07587064062 or email dearsean72@gmail.com.
