Usdaw resolves to continue to campaign for change with Labour as a ‘critical friend’

Addressing conference delegates in Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, Paddy Lillis – Usdaw general secretary said: “I am so pleased and proud that in my final political debate as general secretary, we finally get to talk together about a Labour Government. Not as an idea, but as reality. After so much waiting, so much wishing and above all so much work from Usdaw activists right across the country. We now have that Labour Government. After so many years of being ignored, we finally have a government that will listen to working people. 

“A government that will engage with trade unions. A government that promised a new deal for working people, within their first hundred days in office and they have wasted no time in delivering that new deal. In Autumn 2024, on its 97th day in power, this government introduced the Employment Rights Bill. Transformational, ambitious and years in the making. A once in a generation programme of workers' rights. Delivering real change for Usdaw members.”

“The Tories, and Reform, have fought these measures all the way. They cannot stand to see workers finally getting a proper voice. They refuse to see the benefits of better, more secure work. But Labour has stood strong with workers, Labour has listened to workers and Labour is making a difference for workers. But that goes beyond the Employment Rights Bill. 

“For more than 20 years, we have banged the drum, on the extraordinary and unacceptable levels of abuse and violence faced by retail workers. Thanks to the hard work of Labour MSPs, we had successfully made the case for a stand-alone offence of assaulting a shop worker in Scotland. Now, the Labour Government's Crime and Policing Bill will extend this to England and Wales as well. It's Usdaw's Freedom From Fear campaign that made that happen. This is delivering with a Labour Government.

“The Government has inherited an extremely difficult economic situation, after years of Tory mismanagement. There is a huge to-do list and there are many important priorities. We also know that there will be, and have been, difficult decisions to be made. Decisions that we won't always agree with. That's the nature of government. 

“That makes it even more important for us to keep working closely with the Government, to make our members' voices heard. We will continue to work with our Labour Government as a 'critical friend', to put our members' priorities forward and respond to developments. This Government, this Party, this Prime Minister. They listen to us, the door is open and I would far rather be having those tough conversations with a Labour Government, than hitting brick wall after brick wall with a Tory Government.”