Wilkinson kicks Usdaw membership over 330,000

Leading retail trade union Usdaw reports today that its membership figure has surpassed 330,000 – following the recruitment last week of a Wilkinson from Gateshead.

Shop assistant Shirley Wilkinson, aged 46, may not enjoy the current celebrity status of her North East neighbour and namesake, England World Cup rugby hero Jonny, but her trade union is delighted to have her on board as one of its newest members.

Membership of Usdaw, the UK's fifth largest trade union, today stands at 330,007, following the recruitment of thousands of new members in recent weeks. The current figure means Usdaw's membership has increased by around 20,000 in less than two years.

Such a large-scale increase is a major achievement for a trade union operating mostly in a sector that, by tradition, has a high turnover of staff. Due to workers leaving the retail sector, Usdaw must recruit over 70,000 new members every year just to keep its membership figure at the same level.

Usdaw General Secretary Sir Bill Connor said: "I am delighted that Usdaw's membership now stands at nearly a third of a million people. It is an outstanding achievement. More and more people are recognising that Usdaw is making a huge difference in workplaces across the UK. This union is committed to defending our members' rights and working with employers to achieve the best conditions."

Usdaw's increasing membership can be attributed to several factors, notably the launch of a new Organising Academy to train activists and the astonishing success of the union's Freedom From Fear campaign, highlighting the huge problem of violence and abuse in the retail workplace.

"Usdaw's profile is going from strength-to-strength," Sir Bill Connor said. "The fact we have now broken through the 330,000 membership barrier is the icing on the cake of a hugely successful year for Usdaw. Our members and officials will aim for more of the same in 2004."

The union has campaigned on several issues important to members during 2003. Freedom From Fear and the National Respect for Shopworkers Day on 17th September received massive publicity, along with campaigns for compulsory employer contributions to pension schemes, a National Minimum Wage for 16 and 17-year-olds, and creating better opportunities for learning.

Most Usdaw members are shopworkers, although the union has members working in many industries, including call centres, home shopping, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, drivers, warehousing and distribution, and food manufacturing and processing.

• For further information or to join Usdaw phone the helpline on 0845 6060640.

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