Paddy Lillis – Usdaw general secretary says: “We are deeply concerned about the challenges facing retail and high streets in Wales. Last year several major national retailers permanently closed stores and cut jobs. These are not just personal tragedies for individual workers, but empty shop units are scarring high streets and communities across Wales. The retail sector is the largest private sector employer in Wales, providing 139,000 jobs, and deserves support.
“We welcome actions already taken by the Welsh Government to help the sector, including last year’s launch of the Retail Action Plan, and the decision to cap the business rates multiplier. However, over one in six shops in Wales are empty, with Wales reporting the second highest number of vacant shops in the UK. Therefore, we are calling for consistent and sustainable funding for local authorities so they can invest in their local economy, transport networks and high streets.
“Retail crime remains a blight on the industry and this week Usdaw’s latest survey results show that seven in ten shop workers suffered attacks in the last twelve months. It is unacceptable that these workers continue to face violence, threats and abuse simply for doing their jobs. Usdaw is seeking specific action plans across all four police forces in Wales to tackle retail crime and the abuse of retail workers. That includes promoting awareness of a specific offence of assaulting a retail worker, when it’s introduced, regular town and city centre patrols, along with significant efforts to improve the reporting of incidents.
“The new Labour UK 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 Welsh Labour conference since Eluned Morgan became the leader and first minister; Usdaw looks forward to working together to improve workers’ lives and deliver for 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