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Mothercare administration: Usdaw calls for staff to be treated with dignity and Government action to 'Save our Shops'

Date: 04 November 2019 Shopworkers’ trade union Usdaw is calling on Mothercare’s administrators to focus on saving jobs and treat the staff with the dignity and respect they deserve. The union also calls on the Government to address the growing crisis on our high streets with an industrial strategy for retail to help ‘Save our Shops’.
Mothercare has announced plans to place its UK retail business in administration, putting around 2,500 jobs at risk. The baby and maternity goods retailer, which has 79 UK stores, said it will file a notice of intent to appoint administrators for the UK business later today.
 
Dave Gill – Usdaw National Officer says: “Usdaw is providing our members in Mothercare with the support, representation and advice they need at this difficult and uncertain time. We will urge the administrators to treat the staff with dignity and respect, keep them fully informed through the administration process, do everything possible to save jobs and keep as many stores open as possible and prioritise stabilising the business to provide a more certain future.

“The scale of company administrations we have seen in recent years is devastating, not just for staff, but also for our communities and shopping centres. Usdaw is campaigning for the urgent action needed to save jobs and protect our local high streets. We need a government-led clear and coherent industrial strategy for retail to address the growing crisis on our high streets, as we have called for through our ‘Save our Shops’ campaign.”

Usdaw’s ‘Save Our Shops’ petition: We call on the Government to take urgent action by adopting an industrial strategy for retail and implementing the following comprehensive and co-ordinated policies:
  • Review taxation, commercial rents and business rates to ensure a level playing field between ‘bricks and mortar’ retailers and online retailers, providing a new framework that supports local communities and the wider economy.
  • A minimum wage of £10 per hour for all workers, secure work and investment in skills and training to provide decent pay and job security for retail workers and drive up productivity.
  • Give retail workers a say over the future of retail and the introduction of new technology, with a designated inclusive body that ensures the Government recognises the crucial role retail has in the UK economy.
Save or Shops petition: www.usdaw.org.uk/signsos
 
Usdaw’s industrial strategy for retail: www.usdaw.org.uk/retailstrategy
 
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 410,000 members. Membership has increased by more than one-third over the last couple of decades. 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

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