WORKERS in Warrington have been hit harder by the recession than anywhere else in the North West, according to the GMB union.
The real value of average earnings across all employees has fallen by 24 per cent in Warrington since 2008, compared with 13.4 per cent for the region as a whole.
Blackpool, with a fall of 22.6 per cent, comes second in a “league table” drawn up by the union.
Oldham and Bolton, with falls of 21.2 per cent and 20.1 per cent respectively, are the next worst affected areas.
Working people deserve and need a decent pay rise to halt the drop in living standards, says GMB
In April 2008 the mean gross annual earnings for all employees resident in the region according to the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) was £23,522.
The ASHE figure for the mean gross annual earnings for all employees resident in the region for April last year was £24,561. This is an increase of £1,039 or 4.4 per cent. Between April 2008 and November last year, inflation has been 17.8 per cent.
This means the drop in the real value of average earnings in the North West between April 2008 and November last year has been 13.4 per cent.
For the UK as a whole, the drop in the real value of average earnings of all employees over the same period has been 13.8 per cent.
In Warrington, in 2008, the mean gross annual pay of all employees averaged £28,366 but last year it had fallen to £26,607 – a fall of £1,759 or 6.2 per cent.
This, says GMB, mean the drop in the real value of earnings in the town was 24 per cent.
The data on which the union’s calculations were based was published by the Office for National Statistics.
Workers in Warrington hit harder by recession than anywhere else in the North West
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
