Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “Throughout the Coronavirus outbreak, Usdaw has been working with retailers to ensure that their operations remain safe for both the customers and their workforce. Across many retail businesses, we have helped to deliver effective social distancing and health and safety measures in shops and warehouses.

“A number of Usdaw members employed by The Range have contacted the union concerned about staff safety. I wrote to the company seeking a meeting to explore what additional preventative measures can be put in place to protect staff. To date I have not received a reply and I urge management to contact me as a matter of urgency to resolve the concerns of their staff.

“Usdaw and the British Retail Consortium have been working to develop advice and guidance for the non-food retail sector on what effective safe distancing in the shops might look like.

“As we prepare for non-food retail to reopen, only when expert public health advice agrees and the Government eases lockdown restrictions, we need to be ready and make sure that the proper preparations and measures are put in place. We urge all high street retailers, not to follow the example of The Range, but to study the joint advice and open a dialogue with Usdaw and the BRC on putting in place plans for adequate social distancing measures in their stores.”

Notes for editors:
 
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest trade union with over 400,000 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.
 
Social Distancing - BRC-USDAW Recommended implementation practices for Non-Food Retail Stores: A guide for retailers on how to implement Government advice – Version 1: 24 April 2020 www.usdaw.org.uk/BRCguide
 
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