Labour Link condemns regional pay

 "Let's bring it down to basics. If regional pay is introduced then a healthcare assistant, doing the same job as me, but living in Blackburn will receive less pay than me for doing the same job," said Canterbury’s Jean Butcher, one of many speaking out against regional pay at UNISON’s Labour Link forum in Cardiff today.

Ian Fleming from the union's Northern region said that the proposals would have a "devastating impact" on his area, particularly on women who make up the majority of public service workers.

And he asked: “Why should a person in one region be paid less than someone else for doing the same job?

"Is gas in the North East cheaper?

"Is electricity in the North East cheaper?

"Are university fees in Newcastle cheaper?

"What about stamps? I think not.”

And he warned that an impoverished workforce would mean a shrinking economy: "In simple terms if we've got nowt, we'll spend nowt."