Over 1,000 delegates, visitors and officials from across the UK will be attending to debate and vote on propositions from lay-member branches and statements from Usdaw’s Executive Council on key issues including:
 
• Rights at work, pay and conditions of employment
• Getting it right for older workers
• Insecure work and underemployment
• Crime and justice
• Health and safety in the workplace
 
John Hannett – Usdaw General Secretary says: "Our Annual Delegate Meeting is effectively the union’s parliament and provides lay-members with the opportunity to raise their issues of concern and make our policy.
 
"We have a packed agenda and it is clear that members are very concerned about a Conservative government that has continually hit the lowest paid workers the hardest. Incomes have been under attack with cuts in tax credits and Universal Credit is a ticking time bomb for many working families. Our members are severely impacted by cuts in the public services they rely on and mounting pressure on the NHS concerns everyone.
 
"With Brexit looming delegates are rightly worried about the potential for a Conservative Government being able to water-down crucial rights at work, as we lose the protection of the European Union.
 
"We look forward to a lively and informed debate on the core issues affecting the lives of working people and their families."
 
Media representatives wishing to attend the conference should contact David Williams, Usdaw’s Media Officer, to arrange accreditation.
 
Notes for editors:
 
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest and the fastest growing trade union with over 430,000 members. Membership has increased by more than 28% over the 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.
 
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion