Paddy Lillis – Usdaw general secretary says: “Usdaw is delighted to see this Labour Government deliver on their manifesto promise of bringing forward legislation to improve worker’s rights to help make work pay and employment more secure. This is in stark contrast to the last Tory Government who didn’t care about low-paid insecure employment and went out of their way to attack workers’ rights and their trade unions. Labour has done more in 100 days to help our members than the Tories did in 14 years.
“Usdaw, along with all trade unions, has long campaigned for a new deal for workers. We are pleased to see in this Bill the inclusion of day-one rights to bereavement and parental leave, sick pay and a route to tribunal for unfair dismissal. Also welcome is action to tackle insecure work and one-sided flexibility with a ban on exploitative zero-hour contracts, an end to unscrupulous ‘fire and rehire’ tactics, making flexible working a default and a new Fair Work Agency to enforce workers’ rights.
“All these measures will make a real difference to our members, particularly when added to action the Government has already taken, requiring the Low Pay Commission to take account of the cost of living when setting minimum wage rates, along with requiring them to set a course to eradicating rip-off youth rates. For the first time ever, we can have a legally guaranteed real living wage.
“Usdaw will look at the detail of the extensive Employment Rights Bill and continue to talk to ministers about the needs of our members.”
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
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter/X @UsdawUnion