The purpose of ‘heartunions’ week (8‑14 Feb 2016) is to highlight the positive contribution that trade unions make in the workplace and across wider society. During the week Usdaw will be profiling some of the campaigning and organising a number of our activists do to promote fairness at work, lifelong learning and better health and safety.
 
John Hannett – Usdaw General Secretary says: “Trade Unions have a long history of resolving issues in the workplace and, during the course of this week, we will proudly highlight some of the many achievements that our reps have delivered.
 
“Usdaw workplace reps are renowned for making important contributions to discussions and seeking to resolve issues as quickly and effectively as possible. The Government’s Trade Union Bill is an unnecessary interference in relationships between employers and trade unions and completely fails to understand and acknowledge the beneficial role that we have in some of the biggest and best businesses in the UK.
 
“Throughout ‘heartunions’ week, Usdaw along with the TUC and other trade unions will demonstrate the vital role we play in workplaces and wider society. Trade unions are problem solvers, not trouble makers.”
 
Notes for editors:
 
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fourth biggest and the fastest growing trade union with over 440,000 members. Membership has increased by more than 17% in the last five years and by nearly a third in the last decade. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the Union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
 
♥unions week - 8‑14 Feb 2016: The heartunions week of action celebrates the great work done by union reps and members in our workplaces and in society. We're proud of our unions and reject the government's attempts to damage them with the trade union bill. http://heartunions.org/
 
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion