Usdaw cooks up unique agreement with Cathay Dim Sum workers in Trafford Centre

Usdaw cooks up unique agreement with Cathay Dim Sum workers

Retail union Usdaw has cooked up a unique agreement with a crack team of Chinese restaurant workers at Cathay Dim Sum in the Trafford Centre.

The recognition deal between a major trade union and workers in the booming Chinese restaurant trade is believed to be the first of its kind in the UK.

Restaurant director Laurence Lee approached Usdaw after discovering his 30 strong team producing some of the best dim sum in the North West wanted independent representation and access to union educational programmes.

Cathay Dim Sum is part of the Yang Sing Group and their outlet in one of the region’s biggest shopping centres has developed a growing reputation as one of the best places in the area to taste authentic Cantonese cuisine.

Usdaw General Secretary John Hannett is delighted with this new recognition agreement with one part of Manchester’s best known companies.

“We’ve already signed up two thirds of the team and in Emma Lee we have an incredibly enthusiastic shop steward in place already,” John Hannett said. “This is a very exciting new deal for us working with some of the most talented catering workers in the North West, but as we represent hundreds of retail workers around the Trafford Centre we’ll be able to work closely with Emma and her team.”

“The Yang Sing Group are very responsible employers who see the direct benefits of working with a progressive union like Usdaw and we’re really looking forward to developing a strong relationship with Cathay Dim Sum that will directly benefit both the company and our members.”

“The great news for our new members is that not only will they get the usual benefits of joining us in terms of day to day representation but they will be able to access our innovative Lifelong Learning scheme. Nationwide we’ve sent 10,000 of our members through this scheme accessing courses that aim to boost basic skills like literacy and maths.”

“Our education team will be assessing the Cathay Dim Sum team to see what learning opportunities we can offer them in the future to strengthen their existing skills throughout the restaurant.”

Laurence Lee has already secured Investor in People status for his busy restaurant and sees staff joining Usdaw, in an sector not normally associated with union organisation, as another stage in creating a highly trained workforce capable of working anywhere in the UK.

“This agreement is about the Chinese community understanding that there are real benefits in joining a union for both catering workers and the businesses we have worked hard to create,” Laurence said. “I’m really pleased that my staff has taken up membership so enthusiastically and I’m confident that this pioneering agreement will encourage other members of our community to look at the many different opportunities available to them.”

Notes to Editors:

• Contacts for newsdesks: Usdaw’s Media Officer, Paul Clarke, can be contacted on 0161 249 2469.

• For photographs of the official signing of the agreements between Cathay Dim Sum and Usdaw e-mail paul.clarke@usdaw.org.uk.

• Usdaw (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK’s fifth biggest trade union, with over 340,000 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.

• Journalists can subscribe to receive Usdaw news releases via our online e-news service.

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