Britain Needs a Payrise Now -

We Cant Wait Until 2020

Find out more: usdawactivist.wordpress.com / usdawactivist@gmail.com / Facebook: Usdaw Activist
the Activist
Issue 54
TUC Demo 2014
Bulletin of Socialist Party members in
At this years Labour Party confer-
ence, Ed Milibands keynote
speech included a pledge to raise
the minimum wage.

At first glance many Usdaw
members may have been heart-
ened by this news - with many of
our wages being a few pence
above the minimum wage then a
lift in that would have a big im-
pact on our standard of living.

Yet coming shortly after the TUC
had unanimously supported a
motion from the BFAWU and
GMB unions to campaign to in-
crease the minimum wage to 10
an hour, it will be somewhat dis-
appointing for the figure of 8 an
hour to be given instead.

But far more disappointing is that
this will only be at that level by
2020. It would mean the mini-
mum wage would only go up on
average by 25p a year for the
next 6 years!

Even at present trends this is
around 60p more than where it
would get to at the present rate
of increase. At a time when utili-
ties, food prices, rents and other
costs are soaring, Milibands offer
is frankly a little insulting.

Yet unfortunately this is the
whole thrust of many of Labours
policies. Whilst they may sound
good as a soundbite, on closer
examination they fail to live up to
the most modest of expectations.
Talk of renationalising the rail-
ways has been downgraded to
allowing the public sector to fairly
bid for contracts. The same has
been proposed in relation to the
NHS - when Shadow Health Min-
ister Andy Burnham announced
that the NHS would be the pre-
ferred provider of health services
at a lobby outside the Labour
party conference, he was
shouted down by people saying it
should be the only provider!

Infamously the two Eds, Miliband
and Balls, have signed up to con-
tinue with the Tories spending
plans. At Labours policy forum
this was supported by an over-
whelming majority of attendees,
including most of the union rep-
resentatives.

Labours austerity-lite will not
offer any real alternative to the
misery inflicted by the coalition.
Indeed its so uninspiring that it
seriously jeopardises the likeli-
hood of a majority Labour gov-
ernment come the general elec-
tion next year. If Labour do win
it will mostly be as a lesser evil
to the Tories.

Either way, after the general
election workers will face a gov-
ernment still implementing and
deepening the harsh austerity
measures we have suffered from
over the last four years.

We will have to look to our own
organisations, our trade unions,
but also to having our own politi-
cal representatives to fight our
corner and argue for the policies
we pass at ADM yet the Labour
party ignores every year.

Thats why the plans for 1000
anti-cuts council candidates and
100 candidates in the general
elections proposed by the Trade
Unionist and Socialist Coalition
are so important in continuing
the fight against austerity.

For more info visit tusc.org.uk
New pamphlet
We Need
A Socialist, Fighting Usdaw
Includes articles on zero-hour
contracts, partnership, union
democracy, young workers,
Labour Party as well as an
obituary for the late Robbie
Segal, former EC member
Order from leftbooks.co.uk 3
Bulletin of Socialist Party members in USDAW
Find out more: usdawactivist.wordpress.com / usdawactivist@gmail.com / Facebook: Usdaw Activist
As we are marching today, the nomi-
nations period for elections for Us-
daws President and EC are in full
swing with the election itself taking
place early next year.
As the Activist has continued to docu-
ment, the record of the current Presi-
dent and Executive is woeful. Despite
a few voices that are prepared to chal-
lenge the current mis-leadership of the
union, they are currently presiding
over the huge cuts to jobs and terms
and conditions across the retail and
distribution sector.
The union has been largely silent over
the scandal of the financial fiddling in
Tesco recently, without any indications
of the implications this may have for
our members.
When Tesco, the Co-op and others are
making serious attacks on our mem-
bers working conditions in the name of
flexibility we need a strong leadership
to defend and extend the pay and con-
ditions our union has fought for.
We also should take bold initiatives to
reach out to the millions of unorgan-
ised retail and distribution workers,
especially given the rise of discount
retailers. If small unions like BFAWU
can organise a bold campaign to re-
cruit workers in the fast food sector -
why cant Usdaw do the same on the
high street?
The Activist believes the following
points are key things a fighting leader-
ship of the union must adopt
Opposition to partnership and resto-
ration of the pay ballot in Tesco.
Fight for pay negotiation rights and
ballots of members in all employers
Adoption of an active campaign to
make the unions policy of a living
wage a reality
Back members who wish to take
industrial action, whether strikes or
action short of strike, to defend pay,
terms and conditions
A transparent & democratic union.
Reports of EC meetings to be
printed in the unions publications as
well as a comprehensive set of min-
utes to be circulated to every
branch
Usdaw Members Need A Fighting Leadership
Support Activist candidates in
the EC & Presidential elections

Supporters of the Activist are also
part of the Broad Left within Us-
daw. As well as Amy and Scott
standing, there are two other Broad
Left supporters standing for the EC.

North East Division
- Stephen Lord
Employer: J.Sainsbury Plc, White
Rose Centre, Leeds, LS11 8LS
On line delivery driver.
Membership no: 01184019
Branch: F173
Address: 14 Wentworth Grove, Brad-
shaw, Halifax. HX2 9QN

Eastern Division
- Sue Perridge
Employer: Tesco
F/T Night Shift Worker
Membership no: 00178351
Branch: C73
Address: 26 church leys, Harlow Es-
sex, CM18 6BY
Tel 01279-635554
Mobile 07913029491
e-mail suep@live.co.uk
Amy Murphy
- President &
EC Southern
Division

Amy has served
one term on Us-
daws EC and had
previously been a
divisional councillor for many years as
well as serving on the Tesco Forum.

Employer: Tesco Stores Ltd, Sybron
Way, Crowborough, East Sussex, TN6
3DZ
Branch: H42 (Sussex No1)
Membership no: 00125551
Address: Uplands Close, Uckfield,
East Sussex, TN22 1BB
Tel: 01825 761474
Mobile: 07751528975
E-mail: amydouglas474@yahoo.co.uk
Scott Jones
- EC South
Wales &
Western
Division

Scott has been a
branch secretary
for 3 years and is
also active in his divisional youth
committee. He moved propositions
on the living wage and free education
at recent ADMs.

Employer: Tesco Ponatarddulais,
Tidal Reach, Swansea, SA4 8TB
Branch: A108 (Llanelli)
Membership no: 01512958
Address: 48 Clos Cilsaig, Dafen, Lla-
nelli, SA14 8QU
Mobile: 07598752971
E-mail: scottfrankjones@hotmail.co.uk
A recent Fast Food Rights protest