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Shopworkers' voice absent from Government's 'future of the high street' panel - Usdaw disappointed by the snub

Date: 17 July 2018 Shopworkers’ trade union leader Paddy Lillis is disappointed that the Government has not included a retail staff representative on their new panel to look at the future of the high street.
Jake Berry MP, High Streets Minister, yesterday announced a panel appointed to diagnose issues that currently affect the health of high streets and advise on the best practical measures to help them now and in the future. The panel is to be chaired by Sir John Timpson.

Usdaw’s new General Secretary Paddy Lillis has recently called on national and local government, unions and employers to form a joint retail task group to protect the high street, safeguard jobs and ensure good wages and good training in the retail sector.

Responding to the Government announcement, Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “We welcome, as a step in the right direction, the Government establishing this new panel to look at the crisis on our high streets. However, not including representatives of the workforce is a significant snub to the UK’s three million shopworkers who have a lot at stake in the current situation and a great deal of expertise to offer.

“Too many retail companies do not recognise a trade union for their staff, thereby denying them an effective voice in the future of the business. It is deeply disappointing that the Government has entrenched that position in this new group.

“All too often when companies get into trouble, the efforts to find solutions are focussed on conversations with shop landlords, leaving the staff in the dark. Yet shopworkers, particularly long-serving and loyal staff, have a great deal to offer and make significant contributions to turning companies around.

“Shopworkers should be valued by their employer, they are at the forefront of delivering good customers service. That was the prime philosophy of those who built many of today’s biggest retail businesses. Unfortunately some employers have turned their back on that principle, the staff are no longer valued in the way they used to be and that is having an adverse effect on the business.

“Usdaw is the shopworkers’ trade union. We work with retail employers to give their staff a voice in the business, promote fairness, dignity and respect, and we get the best deal possible for our members. I am writing to the Minister to urge him to include Usdaw on this new panel, so that shopworkers’ can be heard in the debate on saving our high streets”.

Notes for editors:
 
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest and the fastest growing trade union with around 435,000 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.
 
New Statesman - Crumbling Britain: The slow death of the high street
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2018/07/crumbling-britain-slow-death-high-street
 
GOV.UK - Expert panel appointed to advise on the future of the high street:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/expert-panel-appointed-to-advise-on-the-future-of-the-high-street
 
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion

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The official website of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers