Over 400 delegates, visitors and officials from across the UK will be participating online, considering and voting on propositions from lay-member branches and statements from Usdaw’s Executive Council. The agenda includes:
- Rights at work, pay and conditions of employment.
- All in it together? The unequal impact of the coronavirus crisis.
- Jobs, safety and a new deal for workers.
- Politics for the recovery, with guest speaker Rt Hon Keir Starmer MP, Labour Party Leader.
- Guest speaker Frances O’Grady, TUC General Secretary.
Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “Our Annual Delegate Meeting is effectively the union’s parliament and provides members with the opportunity to raise their issues of concern and make Usdaw policy. For the first time, because of the pandemic, it will be an online only event. We have a packed agenda and I’m pleased we are able to hold the conference after having to cancel last year because of the first lockdown.
“Usdaw members and reps have played an essential role in ensuring the UK gets through the coronavirus crisis. I cannot put into words how immensely proud I am of what our members have done on the frontline of the pandemic, working extremely hard to ensure that food remained on the shelves and that people were able to shop safely.
“Over 127,000 people have sadly died from Covid-19, this includes Usdaw members, reps and colleagues. On behalf of the union, I would like to offer my deepest sympathies to all those affected by coronavirus and our conference will pay tribute.
“Usdaw is campaigning for a new deal for workers, so that they are treated fairly, paid properly and able to earn enough money to live comfortably. Conference will reflect on what has been an extremely difficult period for our members. At the same time, we will look to the future with a lively and informed debate on the core issues affecting the lives of working people and their families.”
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.
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter
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