It is well known that the cost of living has been increasing. Rising food prices are affecting the modest population; fuel prices are also rising; electricity and gas costs are becoming essential for well-being, such as cooking, keeping the house in a minimum thermal well-being, using the washing machine, etc. The right to decent housing is an old requirement that is not met. It should be noted that this increase in the cost of living, measured by inflation, hits those with low incomes more intensely.

Economic forecasts indicate that inflation will decrease. Meanwhile, this increase in inflation has been accompanied by a significant increase in corporate profits in many sectors. The European Central Bank has stressed that many companies have increased their prices beyond the increase in nominal wages and, in many cases, the increase in energy costs. In short, corporate profits have been largely responsible for the rising cost of living.

Two-digit inflation has been a blow to the workers. The wage increases signed by Great Recession in collective labour agreements have, in general, been limited, and in many cases we should talk about wage reductions in real terms. Companies have always used the “excuse of the crisis” in order not to increase their remuneration, especially since 2008, keeping some collective agreements unrenewed for years. In addition, since 2002 the single currency has not helped, as workers have the same purchasing power as that year, 20 years later.

But it's not all about money. Increasing the workload of workers for the benefit of businesses. Growing work rate, deep business control through technology, demand for very high attention in the tasks entrusted, high mobility in jobs, little training given by companies… the psychological cost of work has multiplied exponentially, in exchange for a low wage that does not guarantee a decent standard of living. The OECD has reported that one in five workers suffer from mental disorder, depression or anxiety and that increased insecurity and pressure at work now increases mental health problems.

The increase in the cost of living and the deterioration of mental health are a direct consequence of capitalist functioning, which have a positive impact on the annual balance sheet of many companies. The worst thing is that this situation has normalized, because in this capitalist realism that we suffer it is easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism. It seems that despair is what the party is winning. Is that the case?

In the United Kingdom, the Enough is enough campaign has been launched by the social and trade unions, with five requests to deal with the crisis: a real wage increase, a reduction in the energy bill, ending food poverty, guaranteeing decent housing for all and taxing the rich. It will not be a revolutionary proposal, but it can be a principle. If we add to this the expansion of transformative trade unionism and the reduction of working time without wage cuts, it would clarify the dark context represented in the preceding paragraphs.

We must not forget that we are talking about a conflict between capital and labour. Conflict between capital and life.