Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “Over the last three years, inflation has increased prices by 22% and food prices have risen even higher, by 30%. Before the cost of living crisis Britain desperately needed a pay rise; these sky-rocketing prices have severely devalued wages and too many workers are now at breaking point. Inflation rates have come down, but are expected to rise again later this year, so the pressure on working people continues.
 
“Usdaw is calling on the Low Pay Commission to be ambitious with their recommendations, with the highest possible increase to minimum wage rates, that is above the level of inflation and at least two-thirds of median earnings. We also call for an end to rip-off youth rates; if you’re old enough to do the job, you’re old enough to be paid the rate for the job.
 
“The general election gives our members the opportunity to vote for change, after years of Tory chaos and attacks on workers’ rights. Labour’s plan to make work pay includes transformative policies to make the minimum wage a genuine living wage, remove discriminatory age bands and deliver new rights to make work more secure. Only Labour has the policies to improve the lives of Usdaw members and all workers.”
 
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
 
Labour’s plan to make work pay, delivering a new deal for working people: https://labour.org.uk/updates/stories/a-new-deal-for-working-people/
 
Usdaw’s full response: www.usdaw.org.uk/LPC24
 
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion