The Union of Shop Distributive and Allied Workers is celebrating its 125th anniversary at Newcastle’s Discovery Museum throughout May. The union’s pop-up exhibition reviews Usdaw’s social history and showcases campaigns then and now in the areas of safer workplaces, better conditions, improved pay and fairness at work. The exhibition is free, open to all and offers a fascinating insight into the rights of shopworkers through the years.

One hundred and twenty five years ago, representatives of workers met in Manchester and Birmingham to establish the trade unions which would, in 1947, amalgamate to become the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers.

John Hannett – Usdaw General Secretary says: “From our earliest days we have always been involved in campaigning and in our second century we’ve modernised, become more advanced and turned Usdaw into 'The Campaigning Union'.

“We have a solid record of involving members in evidence based campaigning to improve working lives. From raising health and safety standards, to promoting a good work/life balance; from fighting for a legal minimum wage, to demanding equal pay for work of equal value.”

The exhibition will travel to venues throughout the UK during 2016 and be hosted by Association of Independents Libraries (AIL) member libraries, public museums and the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

Notes for editors:

Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fourth biggest and the fastest growing trade union with over 440,000 members. Membership has increased by more than 17% in the last five years and by nearly a third in the last decade. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the Union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.

Discovery Museum tells the history of Newcastle and Tyneside through permanent displays and temporary exhibitions over three floors: https://discoverymuseum.org.uk/

Discovery Museum is housed in the old Co-operative Wholesale Society building, Blandford House. Opening in 1899, it quickly became an iconic building in Newcastle city centre. Blandford House became a museum in 1978 and was re-launched as Discovery Museum in 1993. Discovery Museum started life in Exhibition Park, Newcastle in 1934 as the Municipal Museum of Science and Industry, the first science museum outside of London. It was housed in the temporary pavilion that was built for the 1929 North East Coast Exhibition. As you enter the museum you'll come face to face with Turbinia. Charles Parsons' 34 metre steam powered ship that was once the fastest ship in the world and an iconic part of the history of Tyneside. Immerse yourself in the history of Newcastle and Tyneside told through permanent displays and temporary exhibitions over three floors focusing on the area's maritime, scientific and technological importance to Britain and the rest of the world.

For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion