As a part of the process low pay commissioners will be meeting workers and businesses across the UK on six regional visits. They are now in Belfast for two days, having already visited Dunfermline, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Waltham Forest, Haringey, Rhondda Cynon Taf and have plans for hearings in Oldham and Tameside.
Mike Aylward – Regional Officer for Northern Ireland says: “We welcome the opportunity to bring a panel of Northern Ireland workers to the Low Pay Commission hearing in Belfast. The commissioners will hear first-hand how many workers are reaching breaking point, with inflation remaining in double figures for over a year. That’s why we need a new deal for workers that provides the highest possible increase to the minimum wage and more secure employment.
“We are calling on the Low Pay Commission to be ambitious with this year’s recommendation. Workers are suffering high price rises across a range of essentials, especially food, which impacts every household. Regardless of whether the rate inflation starts to drop, there is no sign of the pressure on working people easing, as wages continue to lag behind rising prices, dragging living standards down.
“Usdaw is calling for next year’s minimum wage to be at least £12 per hour as a step towards £15 for all workers, ending rip-off youth rates. If you’re old enough to do the job, you’re old enough to be paid the rate for the job. We are also looking to the LPC to reiterate their previous recommendation for workers to have the right to switch to a contract reflecting hours worked, to tackle one-sided flexibility.”
Usdaw’s call for a New Deal for Workers includes:
- Minimum wage of at least £12 per hour immediately, as a step towards £15 for all workers, ending rip-off youth rates.
- Minimum contract of 16 hours per week, for everyone who wants it, that reflects normal hours worked and a ban on zero-hour contracts.
- Better sick pay for all workers, from day one, at average earnings.
- Protection at work, respect for shopworkers, abuse is not a part of the job.
- Proper social security system, Universal Credit does not provide an effective safety net.
- Job security, with day one employment rights for unfair dismissal and significant improvements to redundancy protections.
- Fair treatment and equality for all workers, including equal pay.
- Voice at work, stop rogue employers refusing to engage with trade unions and end ‘fire and rehire’.
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest trade union with over 350,000 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
www.usdaw.org.uk
Low Pay Commission: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/low-pay-commission
Labour’s New Deal for Workers: www.usdaw.org.uk/LaboursNDW
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter
@UsdawUnion