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Boohoo chairman bizarrely won’t meet Usdaw because he ‘doesn’t want to join the union’

Date: 16 December 2020 Usdaw, the trade union for Boohoo workers, finds it bizarre that Boohoo chairman, Mahmud Kamani, on several occasions told today’s meeting of the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee that he didn’t want to meet the union because he doesn’t want to join.
He was being questioned by Caroline Lucas MP about Boohoo’s ongoing refusal to engage in talks with Usdaw about a recognition agreement.

Mike Aylward – Usdaw Divisional Officer says: “We have news for Mr Kamani, we don’t want him to join Usdaw. The purpose of a meeting is to discuss securing recognition for Usdaw’s members, so that they can have a proper voice in their working lives.

“Unfortunately, we believe Mr Kamani was being somewhat flippant and seeking to avoid questions about Boohoo’s continued anti-trade union stance at their warehouse, call centre and head office. While he today tried to persuade MPs that Boohoo is cleaning up its act in their supply chain, he was less transparent on the rights of their directly employed workers to be represented by an independent trade union.

“It is very disappointing that Boohoo has not made any progress since the committee found nearly two years ago that ‘the company has, over a prolonged period of time, refused even the most basic level of engagement with Usdaw and appears hostile to the very idea of recognising a trade union.’

“We suggest that Boohoo would go a long way towards repairing their damaged reputation by meeting with Usdaw and engaging in a positive relationship.”

Notes for editors:
 
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest trade union with over 400,000 members. Membership has increased by more than one-third over the last couple of decades. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
 
House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee Report - Fixing fashion: clothing consumption and sustainability – Para 43: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmenvaud/1952/1952.pdf
 
Environmental Audit Committee - Fixing fashion follow up:
https://committees.parliament.uk/work/654/fixing-fashion-follow-up/
 
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion

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