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'Time for better pay' petition passes 10,000 signatures - Usdaw campaign continues

Date: 23 January 2019 Usdaw’s ‘Time for better pay’ petition is now the fastest growing on the .gov website, having today passed 10,000 signatures in less than two weeks. This means the Government now has to respond to the petition, but the union is continuing to push for 100,000 signatures that should trigger a parliamentary debate.
The petition can be accessed at: www.usdaw.org.uk/T4BP Usdaw is asking members and all who agree that workers deserve better pay and rights to sign the petition and share it with friends, family and colleagues.
 
Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “The ‘Time for better pay’ petition was launched to make workers’ voices heard and politicians listen to low-paid workers’  calls for better pay and proper contracts. So we are delighted to have reached the first milestone of 10,000 signatures in such a short time. The campaign continues as we aim for 100,000 signatures and the chance that this will be debated on the floor of the House of Commons.
 
“Going out to work should mean a decent standard of living for everyone. That’s why Usdaw is calling on the Government to tackle low pay and insecure work through our ‘Time for better pay’ campaign. We need real and urgent improvements to workers’ rights to deliver an economy which works in favour of all working people.”
 
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 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.
 
Usdaw’s ‘Time for better pay’ campaign is calling on the Government to strengthen workers’ rights by introducing:
  • A minimum wage rate of at least £10 per hour for all workers.
  • A minimum contract of 16 hours per week for everyone who wants it.
  • A contract based on an individual’s normal hours of work.
  • An end to zero-hours contracts.
Usdaw’s survey of over 10,500 working people about their experiences of low pay, short-hours contracts and insecure work shows that stronger employment rights are urgently needed:
  • Over the past five years, 92% of those surveyed have seen no improvement in their financial situation.
  • Over the past 12 months 76% of low-paid workers have had to rely on unsecured borrowing to pay everyday bills.
  • 63% of people believe that financial worries are having an impact on their mental health.
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion

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