Usdaw welcomes significant steps towards the real Living Wage and ending rip-off youth rates

Paddy Lillis – Usdaw general secretary says: “Usdaw very much welcomes these significant pay increases for the lowest paid, after a three-year-long cost of living crisis under the Tories. We are pleased that Labour’s new remit for the Low Pay Commission has resulted in progress towards delivering a statutory real Living Wage and started on the road to ending rip-off youth rates.

“Labour is already delivering the new deal for workers that Usdaw long campaigned for. The Employment Rights Bill will help secure economic growth by improving productivity after years of stagnation and stop rogue employers undercutting those who treat their staff properly. It will also give workers security, respect and the decency of an income they can live on. These are welcome protections for workers that should help them through future economic shocks. 

“This is the transformational change that the country voted for, after 14 years of Tory chaos, austerity and attacks on workers’ rights. It was disappointing that Tory MPs and Lords were whipped into opposing the Employment Rights Bill, which only demonstrates that they’ve not listened to voters, and it was no surprise that Reform leader Nigel Farage voted against the Bill, showing that he is no friend of working people.”