Mike Aylward – Usdaw Regional Secretary for the North West says: “Retail is at the heart of our communities, but is facing growing challenges. The economic environment, combined with an inadequate employment rights framework, has put many jobs at risk. This week the Chancellor contributed nothing to resolving these longstanding issues.
“Usdaw’s ‘Freedom From Fear’ Campaign has also highlighted the horrific level of abuse and violence faced by frontline retail workers, with 31% of incidents linked to shoplifting. The latest police recorded crime figures show a continuing trend of increases in shoplifting incidents across the North West. It is clear that organised crime gangs are targeting the sector, looting stores and assaulting retail workers.
“The increased use of technology across the sector is significantly impacting working practices, not just in terms of online retail but also the growing digitisation in stores. When taken together, retail workers are facing unprecedented challenges affecting every aspect of their working lives.
“We welcome Labour’s commitment to increasing security of work in the New Deal, including strengthening redundancy rights and protections, and to implementing a specific offence of abusing, threatening or assaulting a retail worker.”
Usdaw is calling on Labour to:
- Ensure that the importance of the retail sector is reflected in Labour’s industrial strategy, emphasising the need to protect jobs, deliver growth, and provide security of employment.
- Deliver on the strongest possible legal protections for frontline retail workers as soon as possible.
- Establish a taskforce to deal with the challenges of new technology and automation as a matter of urgency, to protect jobs and to make sure that the economy is well positioned to adapt.
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
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