Amanda Bailey-Coll – Usdaw regional secretary says: “The UK retail sector is an essential part of our economic and community infrastructure. It has an output of over £112 billion per year, directly employs around three million people and is present in every community across the country. In the North West, the retail sector provides 9% of all employment.
“However, 6,000 retail outlets have been lost over the last five years. Retail closures have left shop vacancies within our communities and workers facing redundancy. Action to address the issues facing the retail sector will be a critical step in establishing an effective industrial strategy. A thriving retail sector must be a central element of Labour’s Plan for Growth.
“The new Labour Government has already introduced the Employment Rights Bill that will deliver a new deal for workers, so that retail jobs are treated as proper jobs. Another issue for our members is the challenges of new technology and automation. There needs to be sustained investment in skills for retail workers and a fundamental reform of the Apprenticeship Levy.
“We welcome this first North West Labour conference since the historic landslide general election victory in July; Usdaw looks forward to working together to improve workers’ lives and deliver for our members.”
Usdaw is asking delegates to support a call on the Labour Government to:
- Continue to recognise the importance of the retail sector within the UK’s economic and community infrastructure.
- Reform business rates and tackle the uneven playing field between online and bricks and mortar retailers, as an early priority.
- Tackle the employment issues facing workers in the sector, through the introduction of the New Deal for Working People.
- Ensure union representation of retail workers on the UK’s Industrial Strategy Council.
- Invest in our high streets and deliver training and skills to ensure that the workforce is ready for the challenges of the future. This must include tackling the unintended consequences of postcode-based training and skills provisions.
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