Tesco: The night shift

Behind Tesco’s success is an army of dedicated, well-trained and motivated Usdaw reps.

Polish reps Edith Maroszek and Marcin Dolny don't lose any sleep when it comes to recruiting their fellow Polish workers on the night shift at the Tesco superstore in Andover, Hampshire.

"It's a breath of fresh air having Edith and Marcin on board," said Rena MacIsaac who has been a rep for 11 years. "I encouraged them to become reps four months ago and they're both really keen to get more involved - they're proving to be excellent reps.

"We have 30 Polish members and Edith and Marcin help to break down the language barrier so everyone feels part of the union," added Rena, who is also a health and safety rep, branch chair and a recruitment and development rep.

"I enjoy working with the union," said Edith, 24, who came to England three years ago after attending a recruitment session in Poland. "Tesco has good links back home and many Polish people want to come to England to work for Tesco. They also know that it is good to join the union. I will do my best to help them solve any problems."

Marcin, 30, shares Edith's enthusiasm, he said: "Polish workers are happy with the union. They feel comfortable and it helps them settle down quickly in their job.

"We work well with Rena, she's a good rep and is always there to help us. Between us we deal with situations quickly because she has the experience. We can help with translation so it works well."

Tesco facts & figures

• Tesco is the UK's biggest retailer.
• It has more than 1,252 stores trading under its four formats - Extra, Superstore, Metro and Express.
• It also has 527 stores under the One Stop fascia.
• It employs more than 250,000 staff.

More at: www.tesco.com

If you want to know more about becoming a rep or recruitment visit: www.usdaw.org.uk/getactive

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