Speaking to Congress, Amy Murphy – Usdaw President said: “The future world of work brings with it significant challenges for the trade union movement. Automation and new technology brings forward and threatens new forms of exploitation, but they can also if properly managed and implemented in ways to benefit the workforce offer new solutions to old problems. One thing remains clear. The best way to tackle issues in work reorganisation is through a strong trade union movement.
 
“In recent years, weak employment legislation has led to the growth of insecure work. Whether its zero and short-hours contracts, bogus self-employment or the so-called gig economy; working people have paid the price for the lack of robust employment legislation to protect workers,
 
“Any response to the challenges of the future world of work must be built on secure employment contracts that cannot be exploited by bad employers. Usdaw is campaigning for: All workers to have a right to a minimum contract of 16 hours per week; a contract that reflects and guarantees normal hours of work, and an end to zero hours contracts.
 
“We must ensure that all workers are guaranteed secure contracts on the minimum number of hours they are looking for.”
 
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.
  
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