RETAIL trade union Usdaw has renewed their call for a new deal for workers and branded the Government’s cost of living payment as only a sticking plaster as rising prices continue to devalue wages. Eligible households are set to receive £300 between 31 October and 19 November, it is the second of three payments.

Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “While any financial help for struggling families is welcome, these one-off payments are only sticking plasters when lasting solutions are needed. At the heart of the cost of living emergency is a crisis of employment rights that leaves workers particularly vulnerable.

“Continuing very high price increases, particularly on food items, leave too many workers struggling to make ends meet. Food inflation is nearly double the Government’s preferred measure of overall inflation and way ahead of wage increases, so that amounts to a real terms pay cut for too many.

“Last week the real Living Wage rates were increased to £12 per hour and £13.15 in London. They are calculated on the basis on what workers need to cope with the rising cost of living. Meanwhile the Government’s so-called ‘National Living Wage’ remains at £10.42, with Ministers hinting it will exceed £11 in April. That is simply not enough and Usdaw continues to campaign for £12 now as a step towards £15.

“It is now long overdue that the Government allows the Low Pay Commission to take cost of living into account and creates a legally binding genuine living wage for all workers. Alongside this, we need a new deal for workers to tackle insecure employment.

“Only Labour is pledged to deliver within 100 days of coming into government the new deal Usdaw has long campaigned for. Labour has the policies and ideas that can put the country back on track and deliver the change our members desperately need.”

The next Labour Government will deliver a new deal that includes:

• Making work pay with a genuine living wage that people can actually live on.
• Banning zero-hours contracts.
• Ending fire and rehire.
• Giving workers basic rights from day one.
• Going further and faster in closing the gender pay gap.
• Making work more family friendly.
• Tackling sexual harassment.
• Ensuring that unions can stand up for their members.
• Boosting collective bargaining, to improve workers’ pay, terms and conditions.