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Arcadia brands moving to online only, with Boohoo, shows that the Government needs to act to save our shops says Usdaw

Date: 08 February 2021 Retail trade union Usdaw is seeking urgent meetings with Arcadia administrators and urges them to treat staff with fairness and dignity, after Boohoo today confirmed the takeover of Arcadia brands Burton, Wallis and Dorothy Perkins. Usdaw is also calling on the Government to urgently act to save our high streets.
Dave Gill – Usdaw National Officer says: “The sale of three more major Arcadia brands to an online only retailer is another devastating blow for our high streets, coming after other Arcadia brands were sold to Asos and the Debenhams brand was bought by Boohoo. Arcadia and their administrators have refused to engage with Usdaw and we urge them to reverse their anti-union stance.
 
“Usdaw is the trade union for Arcadia staff and they must be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. We continue to provide our members with the support, advice and legal representation they need at this very difficult time.
 
“What retail needs is a joined up strategy of unions, employers and government working together to develop a recovery plan. Usdaw has long called for an industrial strategy for retail, as part of our ‘Save our Shops’ campaign, to help a sector that was already struggling before the coronavirus emergency.
 
“There are substantial issues that need to be addressed. That is clearly demonstrated by the exodus of prime high street brands to online retail. Today we have renewed our call for an online sales tax to help level the playing field between online and bricks and mortar retail.
 
“Retail is crucial to our town and city centres, it employs around three million people across the UK. The Government must take this seriously; we need a recovery plan to get the industry back on its feet.”
 
Usdaw’s Save our Shops campaign calls for an immediate recovery plan that includes:
Business Rates: The business rates holiday has helped, but it needs to be extended beyond March to avoid a cliff-edge. The voluntary repayment of almost £2 billion of business rates relief by several supermarket chains should be used to support retail and hospitality most impacted by lockdown measures and provide direct help to those workers who have lost their jobs and are struggling financially.
 
Rent Relief: The moratorium on shop evictions for non-payment of rent is welcome, but unpaid rents are still accruing and will become liable at some point. Property landlords need to reduce shop rents, but many commercial property renting businesses are also facing tough times and uncertain futures. There needs to be a three-way approach with businesses paying reduced rents, landlords accepting lower rents and Government assisting both retail businesses and landlords.
 
In addition to the above immediate measures, Usdaw is urging the Government to work with all key stakeholders to develop a recovery plan for the sector built on:
  • Fundamental reform of business rates. Retailers need clear and decisive action from Government to reform/reduce this outdated and imbalanced commercial property tax. An online sales levy set at 1% of online sales would raise around £1.5 billion. This could fund a cut in retail business rates of around 20%.
  • An immediate and comprehensive review of rental values and lease arrangements. Interim support should include government assistance to help pay shop rents. In the long-term we need a re-balancing of power between landlords and tenants and a wider debate on how rents and leases are set and negotiated.
  • Reform of UK tax law to ensure that companies pay their fair share of tax through tackling tax avoidance and the use of offshore havens, with the aim of creating a level playing field between online and ‘bricks and mortar’ retailers. For example, over the last 20 years Amazon has paid a total of £61.7 million in corporation tax, while Marks and Spencer paid £3.3 billion.
  • Additional funding for local authorities so they can invest in their local economy, transport networks and high streets. We cannot revive our high streets if core services continue to be undermined.
  • Investment in skills for retail workers, including through union learning and high-quality apprenticeships. This should include an in-depth assessment of emerging trends and potential skills shortages/gaps within the sector.
  • A new deal for retail, distribution and home delivery workers based around a real living wage and guaranteed hours. This is not just about basic pay but improvements to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) and respect for shopworkers through 'Protection of Workers' legislation. 
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 @UsdawUnion

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