Usdaw activists across the country are holding regional events in stores and shopping centres asking the public to show their support for shop workers and share the message that ‘retail workers are at the heart of our communities’. The staff are at the core of success in the retail industry, which is crucial to the UK economy and a vital part of high streets and communities.
 
National Retail Workers’ Day provides a great opportunity to thank all retail workers for the hard work they do, day in day out. As the trade union for retail workers, Usdaw represents hundreds of thousands of members across the UK retail sector and continues to make a difference for retail workers by:

• negotiating higher pay rates and more secure employment contracts;
• campaigning to ‘Save Our Shops’ by calling for urgent action to revitalise our high streets;
• securing for our members improved workplace policies on the menopause, mental health issues and for those balancing their work life with caring for children and family;
• working with employers, politicians and the police to tackle abuse, threats and violence towards retail workers.

Usdaw is also highlighting the new hope, provided by the election of a Labour Government, of improving the lives of retail workers and securing much needed help for the retail industry.
 
Paddy Lillis – Usdaw general secretary says: “Today we are celebrating the essential role of retail workers in our communities and our economy. On behalf of Usdaw, I want to thank retail workers for everything they do and invite the public to join with us on this second annual National Retail Workers’ Day. This day of appreciation adds to our year-round campaigning for improved workers’ rights and negotiating for better terms and conditions of employment.
 
“Retail work is 24/7, mentally and physically demanding, multi-skilled, high pressure, profit driven and target led. Retail workers have to be adaptable and dynamic, responding to rapid changes in a fast-moving consumer-driven industry. Retail continues to be of fundamental importance to the UK economy and society as a whole. Despite this, retail jobs too often do not reflect their true value and significance. More needs to be done to ensure retail jobs provide decent pay, secure hours and respect for workers.
 
“The election of a new government provides us with new hope that retail workers and the wider industry will get the recognition they deserve. Labour has promised to reform business rates to help prevent job losses and shop closures, along with tackling the retail crime that blights the industry; both campaigns that Usdaw has promoted with the support of retailers. Plans for a new deal for workers will help end poverty pay and insecure work. The future of retail is now brighter than it has been for over a decade and we invite the public to join us today in this celebration of the key workers at the heart of the industry.”
 
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