Usdaw celebrates ten years of minimum wage

Shopworkers’ union, Usdaw, is celebrating the tenth anniversary of the implementation of the national minimum wage benefiting over a million low paid workers.

The minimum wage which was brought in on 1 April 1999 was originally set at £3.60 per hour. Following continued campaigning by Usdaw it has been increased to today's figure of £5.73 and covers many workers in retail.

Some of the most vulnerable workers such as women workers, younger and older workers have been protected by the introduction of a minimum wage.

In 2004, an Usdaw campaign was successful in extending the national minimum wage to young workers aged 16-17.

John Hannett, Usdaw General Secretary and member of the Low Pay Commission, commented: "It was an historic occasion when, ten years ago, the Labour Government established a national minimum wage. Usdaw is proud to have been at the forefront of campaigning for such an important piece of legislation for working people.

"Over the last ten years, over a million people across the UK have benefited from the security and extra income afforded by a minimum wage, including many workers in retail."

Tracy Scott is an Usdaw member on the minimum wage: "I think the national minimum wage is a good thing because otherwise it would be an employers' market, rather than a labourers' market. Workers would try and undercut others by offering to work for 50p less per hour and wages would be lowered. Having the national minimum wage gives security to people's jobs."

Notes to Editors:

• Contacts for newsdesks: Usdaw's Media Officer, Cherry Hamilton, can be contacted on 0161 249 2469 or e-mail cherry.hamilton@usdaw.org.uk
• Usdaw (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fourth biggest trade union, with over 371,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
• More information and news releases are available at our online Newsroom.
• Subscribe/unsubscribe to Usdaw news releases via our online e-news service at: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/site/email.html

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© 2003 (USDAW) Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
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