Tory Claims on Flexible Working are Ridiculous says Usdaw

Claims by the Tories that the Labour Government is following ‘their agenda’ on flexible working have today been branded ‘ridiculous’ by retail union Usdaw.

Usdaw, which is renowned for its campaigns for working parents and carers, scoffed at the Tory suggestion and accused the Tories of actually being a threat to gains made by parents and carers over the past 10 years.

John Hannett, Usdaw General Secretary said; “The suggestion that extending the right to request flexible working to parents of older children is somehow following a ‘Tory agenda’ is frankly ridiculous and I can’t believe David Cameron has had the gall to claim it is.”

“Usdaw has been campaigning on flexible working for many years. While we were busy ensuring the Labour government considered extending the right to request flexible working to parents of older children and carers of adults, David Cameron was busy voting against the right of parents with young children to request flexible working.”

“It is the Labour government that has listened to our campaigns and actually delivered for working parents and carers. It was Labour who introduced the right to request flexible working for parents with children under six in 2003. It was a Labour manifesto pledge, one that Usdaw campaigned hard for, to consult on extending that right. It was a Labour government that extended the right to carers of adults in April this year and it will be a Labour government that further extends the right to parents of older children.”

“Just this year, Gordon Brown spoke at our Annual Delegate Meeting and he reminded delegates that Usdaw has played a key role in making the case for work/life balance issues like extending the right to request flexible working and extending paid maternity leave.”

“In stark contrast, David Cameron voted against flexible working, voted against maternity leave and voted against paternity pay. He’s pledged to take the country out of the European social chapter so no doubt he would also like to deny British people paid holidays and even health and safety protection.”

“By suggesting he had a wonderful idea in October last year that everyone is now copying, David Cameron is not just insulting Usdaw, the Labour Party and people’s intelligence but also the myriad of other organisations that have been campaigning and working with the Government on family friendly policies for many years.”

For more information on Supporting Parents and Carers Campaign visit:

http://www.usdaw.org.uk/campaigns/supportingparentsandcarers/

Notes to Editors:

• Contacts for newsdesks: Usdaw’s Media and Communications Department, can be contacted on 0161 249 2469 or e-mail communications@usdaw.org.uk.
• Usdaw (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK’s fifth biggest trade union, with over 354,000 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.

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