Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “Usdaw has long campaigned for an end to rip-off youth minimum wage rates, so we are delighted that this will be delivered by the next Labour Government. There is no justification for two people doing the same job to be paid differently just because of their age, something we have ended by negotiation with employers in our major agreements, and it has always been wrong that law allows pay discrimination by age.
 
“We also very much welcome adding the cost of living to the Low Pay Commission’s remit. The current remit of looking at average earnings is too narrow, particularly in terms of the so-called ‘National Living Wage’. A genuine living wage must surely reflect the cost of living. With average wages stagnating over the last ten years, this has impacted growth in minimum wage rates leaving the lowest paid struggling to make ends meet.
 
“Labour is clearly demonstrating that they have the answers to the cost of living emergency that is so deeply impacting low and middle income workers. They are set to tackle the scourge of low pay as set out today and Keir Starmer’s plan for an energy price cap freeze will help protect against future price shocks. Our members desperately need an end to this zombie government and Labour back in power.”
 
Notes for editors:
 
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest trade union with around 360,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemical industry and other trades.
 
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion