An independent poll has revealed 70% of the public back the right to strike with the majority believing the government is waging an 'unjust war' on public sector workers.
As millions of workers head to the picket lines, the Survation poll has shown a high level of support for local government workers with 58% supporting a pay increase of £1 per hour. Significantly, two-thirds of those polled disagreed with the Government’s decision to cap wages below inflation pay until 2018.
Across the regions, support is highest in the north where over half of those polled (58%) say a wage raise of £1 per hour is justified and in London where more than half (59%) back better pay. In Scotland, four in five people (78%) back the workers' right to strike.
Unite assistant general secretary, Gail Cartmail, said: 'This government's ceaseless attacks on our public service workers are misguided and find no favour with the public. They can see through this bullying for what it is - an attempt to turn friends and neighbours against the good people who care for their kids, keep their streets clean and run our valued community services, and they are not buying it.
'People understand that poverty pay and inequality are on the rise in this country. The rich get richer while working poor turn to food banks because in Tory-led Britain the fate for ordinary people is to work harder but get poorer.'
Unite national officer for local government, Fiona Farmer, added: 'While the cabinet enjoys an 11% pay jump they are clobbering the army of low waged workers who hold our communities together. Since 2010, local government workers have endured wage cuts of 18% in real terms. Pretty soon the national minimum wage will soon overtake local government pay scales; members are already forced to make awful choices between heating and eating.'
The poll also showed that the threat to curb the right to strike should a Tory government be elected in 2015 does not attract popular support. Twice as many people believe the trade unions on the public services than they do the government.
Since the coalition Government came to power the TUC has estimated that workers have lost £2,245 in wages.
