Paddy Lillis – Usdaw general secretary says: “Young Workers’ Month is an opportunity for union reps, activists and campaigners to reach out and inform young workers about trade unions and ensure that there are sufficient opportunities for young people to get involved and play an active role in our movement.
“It’s also a chance for unions to demonstrate to young people that we are campaigning on the issues they care most about and that we are relevant to their lives: issues like insecure work, zero-hours contracts and low pay. The TUC has a crucial role in reaching out to young workers not currently in a trade union, to help them tackle these and other issues.
“This year we can celebrate the achievements we have made in those campaigns that are now being delivered by Labour in government. This week the Chancellor announced double-digit increases in young workers’ pay as a first step to ending rip-off youth rates. The Budget confirmed the commitment to have a legally enforceable genuine living wage payable at 18 years old.
“Labour has also introduced the Employment Rights Bill that will end exploitative zero-hour contracts, give workers a right to a contract that reflects their normal hours, introduce many employment rights on day one of employment and much more.
“There is no doubt that young workers are better off in a trade union and under a Labour Government. The work of the TUC over the coming month and beyond, alongside initiatives like Usdaw’s Young Workers’ Week, will help spread that important message.”
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