CSP highlights impact of the cost of living crisis at TUC LGBT+ conference

This year’s conference opened with debates on international LGBT+ rights and debates, followed by lunchtime caucuses before heading back into a plenary on the cost-of-living crisis and the impact on LGBTQIA+ workers. 

Cost of living crisis 

Steph, an MSK specialist physiotherapist working in NHS Scotland heard speeches from TUC president Maria Exall, TUC deputy general secretary Kate Bell and Olivia Blake MP, and delivered her own emotive speech to conference, in which she discussed the impact of the cost of living crisis on her personally.

'Conference, I found this old receipt dating back to 2022.  I was curious to see how much has changed in the last year for my typical weekly supermarket shop.  Using a cost comparison calculator, for example, the cost of my wholemeal bread has increased by 28.2 per cent – almost everything else had similar levels of increased cost.'

Impact on LGBTQIA+ workers  

She added: 'Conference, this is a disaster – our wages are down and yet our monthly outgoings are eye wateringly up!  We know that marginalised groups such as LGBTQIA+ people are greatly affected by the cost of living crisis.  We are bringing home typically £6,700 less than our straight cis colleagues – this is a pay gap of 16 per cent.' 

Following conference, Steph is taking part in the CSP delegation to London Pride on Saturday 1 July. 

Want to get involved?  

Interested in joining in with the trade union movement’s democratic policy making?  

Speak to national officer Siân Caulfield for an informal chat about joining at a future TUC LGBT+ Workers conference.