Joanne Thomas – Usdaw general secretary says: “One of the many achievements of the 1970s Labour Government was to separate arbitration and conciliation services from government control by creating the independent Acas. It is a lasting testament to their success that they have continued for 50 years, surviving many changes of government and the threat of funding cuts under the Tory and Lib Dem Coalition Government.
“The strength of the organisation lies in its tripartite structure, with its ruling council being drawn from employers, trade unions and independent experts in the field of industrial relations. As today’s Labour Government seeks to make jobs more secure and improve the voice of workers through their trade union with the Employment Rights Act, the role of Acas will become ever more important and we wish them well in their important contribution to the world of work.”
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is one of the fastest growing unions in the TUC and the UK's fifth biggest trade union with around 360,000 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
Acas: www.acas.org.uk
For Usdaw press releases visit: www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Bluesky @usdawunion.bsky.social and Twitter/X @UsdawUnion