Usdaw celebrates the Government delivering the significant change that workers desperately need

Paddy Lillis – Usdaw general secretary says: “After 14 years of Conservative rule, the contrast of having a Labour Government is stark. Gone are the days of a Tory Government, unwilling to listen to our members’ concerns and focussed on attacking workers’ rights and their trade unions. Now we have a Labour Government that cares about making work pay, with more secure jobs, as a key part of delivering on the mission for economic growth.

“In the first year of a Labour Government, they have changed the remit of the Low Pay Commission to make progress towards a legally binding real living wage and end rip-off youth rates; advanced the Employment Rights Bill to deliver a new deal for workers, despite opposition from the Tories and Reform; and taken the Crime and Policing Bill through the House of Commons to tackle the epidemic of retail crime and assaults on shop workers. The delivery of these manifesto commitments represents significant changes that will make a real difference to our members.

“Alongside these historic rights and protections for workers, Labour has also delivered: 6,700 additional mental health workers; new trade deals with the US, EU and India; an extension of free school meals; new investment to expand and improve nurseries; a record £29 billion per year investment in our NHS leading to waiting lists down by a quarter of a million, a full review into parental leave and additional funding for an extra 13,000 police community support officers.

“The change we voted for is being delivered, after years of Tory stagnation, and it is clear there is much more to come. There is light at the end of the tunnel, we know it will be a tough journey, we will continue our dialogue with Ministers and we are confident Labour will deliver on our members’ priorities.”