This included the removal of discriminatory age bands and the Government placing the cost of living at the heart of its remit.
Usdaw General Secretary Joanne Thomas said: “Usdaw very much welcomes the steps being taken so far by Government to tackle low pay and deliver a genuine living wage for working people. Usdaw has consistently campaigned for significant increases in the National Minimum Wage, and it is great to see the progress already made on this issue under a Labour Government.
“We are pleased that the cost of living has once again been placed at the heart of the LPC’s remit, a year on from its first inclusion, helping to increase pay for the lowest-paid workers. We particularly welcome the Government’s commitment to removing discriminatory age bands. This is an issue Usdaw has campaigned on for a number of years and the updated remit will help to put an end to rip-off youth rates to deliver a single National Minimum Wage for all adults. We will be engaging with the LPC’s consultation and calling for the age bands to be removed at the earliest opportunity.”
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
Low Pay Commission: The Government sets the minimum wage rates each year following the advice of the Low Pay Commission. These recommendations are made by the LPC each October, for minimum wage rates to apply from the following April, in line with the parameters set out in the annual remit from the Department for Business and Trade.
For Usdaw press releases visit: www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Bluesky @usdawunion.bsky.social and Twitter/X @UsdawUnion