Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “Three million people are employed directly in the retail sector and another 1.5 million jobs rely on the success of shops. In recent years, hundreds of thousands of jobs have been lost in retail, with large and small retailers alike closing their doors.
“The Government is only offering warm words with little action to tackle the crisis on the high street and in our local communities. Every shop that closes impacts negatively on local communities and our town centres.”
Usdaw is calling for action to breathe life back into the high street – benefitting retail workers, shoppers, the local community and retailers. Usdaw is calling for:
- Economic measures to create a more level playing field between the high street and online retailing.
- Fair pay and job security for retail workers – a minimum wage of £10 per hour, tackle zero-hours and short-hours contracts, investment in skills and training.
- Government action to protect jobs in the retail sector. Retail jobs are real jobs – retail is a key part of the economy providing jobs and income for millions of families.
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest and the fastest growing trade union with over 420,000 members. Membership has increased by more than one-third over the last couple of decades. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
‘Save our shops’ campaign petition to the Government: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/CMSPages/GetFile.aspx?guid=7ef14dfd-9210-4080-b7a4-c23b22be5381
Save our Shops Events: On Saturday 2 March Usdaw activists will be on high street in the following constituencies:
- Aberdeen North - Union Street, Aberdeen: 10am - 3pm
- Andover - Andover High Street: 11am - 3pm
- Ashfield - Sutton-in-Ashfield Idle Shopping Centre: 11am - 3pm
- Blackpool North & Cleveleys - Cleveleys Victoria Road West: 11am - 3pm
- Canterbury - Canterbury High Street: 11am - 3pm
- Cardiff North - Whitchurch High Street: 11am - 3pm
- Croydon Central - North End, Croydon: 11am - 3pm
- Edinburgh North & Leith - Kirkgate Shopping Centre: 10am - 3pm
- Enfield North - Enfield Town Centre: 11am - 3pm
- Filton & Bradley Stoke - Bradley Stoke Willow Brook Centre: 11am - 2pm
- Glasgow East - Shettleston High Street: 10.30am - 3pm
- High Peak - Buxton outside M&S: 11am - 3pm
- Ipswich: Giles Square: 8.30am - 4pm
- Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath - Kirkcaldy High Street: 10.30am - 3pm
- Morley & Outwood - Morley High Street: 10am - 2pm
- Plymouth Moor View - Whitleigh Green: 10am - 3pm
- Portsmouth - Palmerston Road Precinct: 11am - 3pm
- Putney - Putney High Street: 11am - 3pm
- Reading East and West - M&S, Broad Street: 11am - 3pm
- Stockton South - Stockton High Street: 10am - 2pm
- Sunderland Central - Sunderland High Street: 10am - 2pm
- Weaver Vale - Northwich: 11am - 3pm
- Woking - Woking Shopping Centre: 11am - 3pm
Usdaw’s industrial strategy for retail: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/retailstrategy.aspx
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter
@UsdawUnion