Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “The Government’s failure to address the crisis in workers’ pay and employment rights is making the ongoing cost of living crisis much worse. Skyrocketing prices, particularly on food items, leave too many workers struggling to make ends meet. Food inflation remains at a near record high of 19.3%, which has a severe impact on low-paid workers struggling to make ends meet.
“Predictions that tomorrow Ofgem will reduce the energy price cap offer little comfort to many low-paid households. Even if the cap reduces average bills to around £2,000 per year that is still nearly double the prices being paid last winter and there is no indication yet that the Government will intervene with financial support again. The Government’s energy bills support scheme ended on 1 April.
“Short-term support with ongoing cost of living pressures is not enough and the Government needs to deliver lasting solutions with a new deal for workers. A new deal that makes work pay with an immediate increase in the minimum wage to at least £12 per hour for all workers, regardless of age, as a step towards £15. Alongside this, we need an end to insecurity and one-sided flexibility, through contracts that reflect normal hours of work.
“The Government is not offering the change our members need. Labour is pledged to deliver a new deal for workers within 100 days of coming into government. Usdaw will continue to mobilise for a general election because only Labour has the policies and ideas that can put the country back on track.”
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest trade union with over 350,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemical industry and other trades
www.usdaw.org.uk
Labour’s New Deal for Workers: www.usdaw.org.uk/LaboursNDW
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter
@UsdawUnion