Addressing the rally, Jane Jones - Usdaw President said: “Working people have been overlooked for far too long. We work hard, we show up every day, and we do the jobs that keep the country going and yet, as prices are rising at the fastest rate in 40 years, our wages are failing to keep up. As a result, this winter more than one million people will be forced into poverty.
 
“We're being told that there's nothing the Government can do to help us. Instead, it's all about gifts for their friends at the top. Make no mistake, this is a Tory cost of living crisis. A crisis created by a Government snatching away the social security safety net; a crisis created by a Government who prioritises tax cuts for their wealthy mates; and a crisis created by a Government ignoring the needs of workers.
 
“So, we need a new deal for workers. A new deal that gives us a decent pay and secure hours. A new deal that improves terms and conditions at work. And a new deal that creates a proper social security system to protect low income households.
 
“We clapped for our key workers who kept the country going during the pandemic. I, like many others, was proud to serve my community during an extremely difficult period. And yet, any recognition of our sacrifices has quickly disappeared.
 
“We need a Labour Government that will transfer wealth from the richest to the poorest in society, we need a Labour Government that will invest in our schools, our NHS and our communities, and we need a Labour that works with trade unions to deliver a better life for our members.”
 
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