Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “The livelihoods and rights of working people are not a price worth paying for Brexit. Usdaw has consistently said we would oppose any Brexit deal that fails to protect workers’ rights, doesn’t ensure frictionless trade, which will in turn threaten jobs, and undermines the Good Friday Agreement. It is clear that the Prime Minister’s deal does not deliver on any of those key concerns, so Usdaw continues to urge MPs to vote against the deal.
 
“The Conservative record on employment rights is poor and this Government has completely failed to engage with trade unions on the issue. This means we have little faith that this Government would deliver on any promises and we oppose MPs accepting anything short of legal guarantees on maintaining existing employment rights and implementing all new rights that the EU adopts after Brexit.
 
“Europe has delivered core employment rights that Usdaw members rely on, such as: Paid holiday leave and proper rest breaks; safeguards against discrimination; equal treatment for part-time workers; information and consultation in the workplace; TUPE rights for transferring workers, and important health and safety protections.
 
“These are minimum employment standards that help ensure fairness in the workplace and a level playing field that stops rogue employers undercutting rivals at the expense of their staff. We have to ensure that a post-Brexit Britain does not spiral downwards into low wages and insecure employment.”
 
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 410,000 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.
 
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion