WORKING people in Hexham and the Tyne Valley must continue to fight for better pay and conditions and an improved work/life balance, says campaign group Tynedale Transformed.

The issue will be discussed at the next Hexham Debate called “Work, Rest & Pay” at St Mary’s Church Hall in Hencotes, Hexham, on Saturday, April 14 starting at 11am.

The debate will be held shortly after an ambitious plan was announced in Newcastle for the Real Living Wage to be paid to thousands of workers.

More than one hundred firms and institutions attended the event at St James’s Park to find out about the benefits of paying the Real Living Wage.

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The wage is an independently calculated rate of pay which is based on what employees and their families need to have a “decent standard of living.”  It is higher than the national minimum wage.

Organiser of the Hexham Debate, Penny Grennan, said “We need to put pressure on Northumberland County Council to lead a similar initiative. Companies should pay a real living wage and improve pay and conditions.

“There are simply too many hard-working families finding it impossible to live on their current salaries. We’ve seen poverty increase; we’ve seen the number of people needing food and clothes banks increase.

“Workers and trade unions in our area must continue to fight for increased wages. We hope our debate will explore the problems and come up with some real actions and solutions. We will hear from people who have had success in improving work conditions.”      

The panel will discuss the role of the unions, the role of activists and the role of the Real Living Wage Foundation in negotiating fair pay and conditions and what individuals can do to influence the debate. 

Organisers also want to hear from people who are struggling with the cost of living crisis, as well as those who have fought and won better terms and conditions in their workplaces.

The public meeting, jointly organised by Tynedale Transformed and The Hexham Debate, is the second in a series of three. The next in-person debate will be on June 1 on farming and food production.