theActivist
Issue 130
members in Usdaw
Strike wave leaves its marks
on Usdaw ADM
Shop workers’ union
Usdaw’s 2023 Annual
Delegate Meeting (ADM)
took place against a
backdrop of waves of
industrial action, as workers
in many trade unions take
action over the impact of the
cost-of-living crisis.
It was clear at the ADM that
workers in a number of
warehouse, manufacturing
and road haulage
workplaces had rejected
initial pitiful pay offers.
While battles over pay
haven’t led to strike action
yet, many had won much
more substantial offers as a
result of pushing for
increased pay.
The picture has been more
mixed in the retail and
wholesale sector, which
makes up the majority of
Usdaw’s membership.
In Tesco, the latest union
agreement now makes
provision for no contracts
less than 16 hours, unless
specifically requested by the
worker. The company has felt
compelled to pay three pay
rises in twelve months due to
the rising cost of living.
usdawactivist.wordpress.com ■ usdawactivist@gmail.com ■ Facebook: ‘Usdaw Activist’ ■ Twitter: @UsdawActivist
ENGLAND & WALES
Nonetheless, with eye- them of the new industrial
watering mega-profits of situation.
£2.49 billion, the wages of
its workers remain In contrast to some of the
obscenely low, and there is unions that have taken
no doubt that with a serious national action in the last
fight, Tesco bosses could be months – such as the
forced to pay more. Despite National Education Union,
conference voting which has gained 50,000
repeatedly in recent years to new members and hundreds
restore the right of members of new reps – Usdaw’s
to vote on pay negotiations membership has fallen by
in Tesco, this has still not around 80,000 in recent
been fought for by Usdaw’s years, coupled with a decline
leadership. in the base of shop stewards.
At the bottom end of the Partly due to the turnover of
spectrum is Morrisons, conference delegates, there
seemed to be record
whose pitiful 2% pay offer
was rejected by the numbers of first-time
delegates speaking at the
membership, only to be
imposed by ACAS through rostrum.
binding arbitration. A motion While this meant some
was passed aimed at
eliminating the clause in the inexperience, with some
propositions without movers
Usdaw’s agreement with
Morrisons which mandates or withdrawn, it is clear that
binding arbitration where from this new layer a new
combative generation can
pay offers are rejected. develop, which can help to
This and a number of other transform Usdaw into the
motions around workers’ fighting union its members
rights and the cost of living need.
were supported by the pro- As the conference went on,
social partnership we found that sales of the
leadership of Usdaw,
reflecting the pressure on Socialist increased, as well
as people wanting to join the
Broad Left – the grouping in
the union which aims to
bring together all those who
want to campaign for a
fighting, democratic union,
in which Socialist Party
members play a key role.
Join the Usdaw
Broad Left today:
Apply to join online at:
https://
usdawbroadleft.typeform.co
m/to/j2machXd
May 2023
Post-ADM Special
IRELAND
Join the union and help us
organise for
• Pay rises at least in line with
inflation for all in retail,
distribution and manufacturing.
•Raise the minimum wage to
£15 an hour for all
•Increase staffing levels in store
to carry out any necessary
cleaning & hygiene duties, bring
back in house outsourced
cleaners. Full time contracts to all
those who want them
•Elected local health & safety
committees/reps, including
overseeing when and if to lift any
measures brought in to deal with
Covid
•No waiting times or lower rates
for sick pay
•Scrap the 2 year qualifying
period - Full employment rights
from day one
• Scrap performance targets
•Time and a half for all overtime
worked over contracted hours
•Reinstate lost paid breaks and
premium payments, double pay
on Sundays and time and a half
on Saturdays. No extension of
Sunday trading
•Trade union control over
changing staff duties, hiring and
firing, and opening time changes
•35 hour working week without
loss of pay
•Open the books to trade union
inspection if companies say they
can’t afford these measures
• Bailout workers, not the bosses
and the speculators. Campaign
for nationalisation to save jobs.
•Democratically elected
committees of workers and
consumers to control prices and
any rationing policies at all levels.
•For socialist planning to put the
needs of workers first, not
shareholders profits.
Join Usdaw - usdaw.org.uk/join
Jointhe fightback
JOINTHE
●
SOCIALISTS
England & Wales
socialistparty.org.uk
● Scotland
socialistpartyscotland.org.uk
● Ireland militant-left.org
theActivist the bulletin of CWI members in Usdaw

Lillis disgraceful smears on former

President in debate on Usdaw’s finances
In an attempt to shut down the union’s rulebook that numbers have declined in the people decide to opt to join on
debate on the union’s finances branches are allowed to same period form 402,958 to Scale C as opposed to Scale A
during the ‘Special Delegate submit changes to the union’s 356,652. to offset the increased income
Meeting’ debate on rule rulebook every years (in from just one extra Scale C
change S3, Usdaw General contrast to the ability of the Rather than such a more member.
Secretary Paddy Lillis attacked lleadership who can and do increasingly the union’s
former Usdaw President Amy propose to change them every deficit, it has potentially It is this lack of ambition to
Murphy, accusing her of year. contributed to that deficit by recruit and build Usdaw, which
wanting to ‘bankrupt the reducing the potential for is then reflected in the threat
union’ and ‘not having the best No branch ever submits any those in part time work to be Lillis made that “If this is
interests of members at heart’. proposition, amendment or able to afford to join the union. passed we will make cuts. This
rule change to ADM lightly. is not an idle threat!”
This was for the temerity of These will all have been Usdaw’s funds have gone from
moving her branches rule debated by branch meetings generating a surplus of Later on in conference, during
change proposition calling for who themselves will adjudge £6,183,000 in 2020 to a the political debate, Lillis
the re-opening of Scale C of whether a proposition has surplus of £3,617,000 in 2021 responded to one delegate’s
Usdaw membership to new members best interests at to now a deficit of £921,000 criticisms by saying they “don’t
entrants. This scale, heart. for 2022. have to get nasty about it”. We
predominantly for part-time hope Paddy Lillis himself will
The ‘one rate’ of Scale A was take those words to heart, as
workers, was closed to new But the charge of undermining introduced with arguments he introduced this tone to the
entrants during the online the union’s financial situation that people on part time rates ADM.
ADM of 2021. deserves more scrutiny. After
all, since Scale C was closed to wouldn’t join the union
Indeed during his speech, Lillis new entrants in 2021, then the anyway, but all that does is For our part, the Activist wants
suggested that branches union’s membership income potentially help consolidate a to see the democratic process
shouldn’t suggest rule has declined rather than risen. growing number of non- in Usdaw strengthened. We will
changes on issues discussed unionised workers in our be producing a democracy
in recent years, saying peopke From the last financial report workplaces. Alongside this is a charter in the near future,
should “respect the prior to the closure to new worry that people who could including proposals to
democratic process of the entrants to the latest one, join on Scale A will join on enhance democracy within
union.” membership income was Scale c. Usdaw that branches may want
£33,522,000 (Dec 2020) to to consider ahead of their next
But it is part of the ‘democratic £32, 699,000 (Dec 2022). In reality, given the difference opportunity to submit rule
process’ of the union based on Likewise membership between Scale A and Scale C, changes for the 2026 ADM.
you would have to have 5

SUPPORT FOR CORBYN’S REINSTATEMENT LOST, DESPITE

SUPPORT FOR NATIONALISING INDUSTRIES
One of the more debated unelected officials who sit on had the whip restored. succession to Corbyn, but has
motions at the conference, Labour’s National Executive since dropped. Conference also
moved by a first-time speaker, Committee to vote to block In truth, the right-wing majority passed a motion in support of
was for the Labour whip to be Corbyn from standing at the of Usdaw’s leadership opposed proportional representation,
restored to Jeremy Corbyn. Not next general election came in Corbyn and his anti-austerity but Starmer has rejected this as
a single speaker opposed this. for criticism. manifesto from the start, and well.
supported Owen Smith in
One reported they had The vote on the motion was opposition to Corbyn in the It is clear that the struggle for a
resigned from Labour as a narrowly lost however, right-wing coup attempt in fighting, democratic leadership
result of the bar on Corbyn, following general secretary 2016. of Usdaw needs to include
while another young first-timePaddy Lillis’ response to the fighting for a genuine,
speaker said: “I wouldn’t knowdiscussion, suggesting that if Conference passed motions independent political voice for
what a trade union was Corbyn had “taken calling for renationalising the union members. As was raised
without him”. responsibility” for the EHRC water industry and Royal Mail, in the debate, if Corbyn stood
report into anti-semitism pledges Keir Starmer had made he could win, and be a voice for
The decision of the two Usdaw within Labour, he would have to win the Labour leadership in those policies.

usdawactivist.wordpress.com ■ usdawactivist@gmail.com ■ Facebook: ‘Usdaw Activist’ ■ Twitter: @UsdawActivist