Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary says: “With 57,000 job losses across the sector last year, the Government needs to use this budget to tackle the issues behind the retail sector crisis. According to figures from the British Retail Consortium, the retail sector makes up 5% of the economy yet pays 10% of all business taxes and 25% of all business rates.
“On Wednesday the Chancellor must level the playing field between online and high street retailers by delivering fundamental reform to the business rates system. Business rates have become a huge burden on the sector. The British Retail Consortium and many high profile retailers have been vocal in raising their concerns on why this issue needs addressing but so far we have seen little progress. We very much share their concerns, which is why we .launched our ‘Save our Shops’ campaign.
“In addition to business rates, there are a host of other issues which are holding the sector back and require urgent attention from Government. Usdaw has produced an industrial strategy for the Retail Sector outlining the need for Government action that will resolve the problems with excessive town and city centre parking charges, tackle the escalating rate of violence against shop staff and address high levels of staff turnover across the industry.
“Usdaw is calling on the Government to engage with all relevant stakeholders and produce a comprehensive industrial strategy for retail.”
Usdaw’s ‘Save Our Shops’ campaign calls for an industrial strategy for retail that implements policies like:
- 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.
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 trade union with over 400,000 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
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