Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “The ongoing cost of living crisis remains a key challenge for working people. The price of essential items like food continue to rise at twice the headline rate of inflation, which is still double the Government’s target. Forecasts of a recession will send a chill down the backs of many workers.
 
“We need improved pay and conditions. Usdaw continues to campaign for a genuine living wage and more secure contracts as a key method of tackling in-work poverty. Disgracefully this Conservative Government has turned their back on working people. They promised to improve workers’ rights, but have only attacked those workers seeking fair pay deals through deeply damaging anti-strike legislation.
 
“The vast majority of our members are key workers in the grocery and pharmaceutical retail and distribution industries, working hard all year round to keep our communities fed and healthy. It is a disgrace that many are struggling to make ends meet and do not get the respect they deserve. They need a government on their side. Labour is committed to delivering a new deal for workers, along with tackling abuse of retail staff through a protection of workers law and a policing guarantee.
 
“That is the much needed change our members desperately need. In 2024 Usdaw will continue to mobilise for a general election to get this Tory Government out. Usdaw will also keep building a stronger union movement to win decent work, fair pay and dignity for all workers. Solidarity and best wishes for 2024.”
 
Notes for editors:
 
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is one of the fastest growing unions in the TUC and 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 www.usdaw.org.uk
 
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion