Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers

The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) is a trade union in the United Kingdom, consisting of over 360,000 members.<ref name="USDAW - About Us">Template:Cite web</ref> Usdaw members work in a variety of occupations and industries including: shopworkers, factory and warehouse workers, drivers, call centres, clerical workers, milkround and dairy process, butchers and meat packers, catering, laundries, chemical processing, home shopping and pharmaceutical.

Usdaw represents members individually and through company-wide agreements across retail and distribution, such as with The Co-op Societies, Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It has a large network of reps who support Usdaw members in their workplaces.<ref name="USDAW - About Usdaw">Template:Cite web</ref> It also negotiates with companies at a national level to secure better pay, premiums, allowances, and to ensure health and safety standards are met.

Members can access a range of support and representation on work-related matters, but members also benefit from pensions advice, legal and accident cover, member benefits and discounts for workers of all ages.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Usdaw relies upon a "partnership" model with large employers such as with Tesco, where the management of both the business and the trade union have "privileged access" to their counterparts. This arrangement, coupled with its actions, has been met with criticism, such as where the union seemingly presents itself as being concerned more with maintaining its positive, comfortable position and easy membership supply than that of fair representation of its members.<ref name="CUP1">Template:Cite book</ref> This attitude has earned the union the pejorative backronym of Useless Seven Days A Week amongst workers and trade unionists.<ref name="CUP1" /><ref name="0161F1">Template:Cite web</ref>

However, many see Usdaw as regularly winning successes for members through its partnership model, such as securing above inflation pay awards.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The partnership model does not also stop the Union from seeking to push companies further, whether through Acas or industrial action.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It also sees Usdaw and companies join forces to shape laws for the benefit of workers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Usdaw is also known for championing the sectors it represents and its members. The Union has been instrumental in bringing about a new law that makes it a criminal offence to assault a shopworker in the Crime and Policing Bill.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Many MPs have praised the union for its campaigning to highlight the abuse and violence faced by low-paid retail workers – such as through its long-standing Freedom from Fear Campaign - and its role in the shaping the new laws to protect retail workers.<ref name="gov.uk">Template:Cite web</ref> This follows similar campaigning by Usdaw in Scotland which has protection for shopworkers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Usdaw also holds a National Retail Workes Day to shine a light on the vital role shopworkers within communities and the economy.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Alongside campaigning, Usdaw delivers accredited reps’ education and a range of events and conferences throughout the year, including its Annual Delegate Meeting in Blackpool each spring.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

It is widely considered to be on the right-wing on the political spectrum,<ref name="AT1">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="DM1">Template:Cite book</ref> occupying the "politically conservative" section of the Labour Party.<ref name="RW1">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="SR1">Template:Cite news</ref> Usdaw is also affiliated to the Co-operative Party.<ref>Co-operative Party Wider movement</ref> In November 2021, the union was criticised at its refusal to negotiate with a Nottingham-based employer who was proposing a 'fire-and-rehire' policy leading to workers having to negotiate for themselves.<ref name="NP1">Template:Cite web</ref>

In September 2024, Udsaw won a Supreme Court battle against Tesco over so-called "fire and rehire" plans put forward by the supermarket giant. The row erupted in 2021 after Tesco proposed firing staff at some distribution centres and rehiring them on lower pay.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

The union was formed in 1947 by the merger of the National Union of Distributive and Allied Workers and the National Union of Shop Assistants, Warehousemen and Clerks. Some other unions have since merged in, including the Amalgamated Society of Boot and Shoe Makers and Repairers in 1955,<ref>Arthur Marsh and Victoria Ryan, Historical Directory of Trade Unions, vol.3, p.427</ref> and the Scottish Union of Bakers and Allied Workers in 1978.<ref>Arthur Marsh and John B. Smethurst, Historical Directory of Trade Unions, vol.5, pp.184-185</ref>

Sectors

Usdaw organises primarily in retail and distribution, with membership in related service and manufacturing roles. Areas of representation include:

• Retail: supermarkets, convenience, department stores, fashion and specialist retail.
• Distribution and logistics: regional distribution centres and online fulfilment.
• Food and drink manufacturing: processing, packing and warehousing roles linked to major retailers.
• Customer contact: call centres, administrative and support offices.

Work across these sectors includes large numbers of part-time, temporary and shift roles, with significant evening and weekend working.<ref name="USDAW - About Usdaw"/>

Campaigns

Logo for Usdaw's Freedom from Fear Campaign

Freedom From Fear

Usdaw campaigns against violence, threats and abuse experienced by retail workers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Activity includes an annual awareness campaign, including Respect Week each autumn, workplace surveys, and advocacy for clearer protections in law.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It has successfully lobbied for change, including the Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Act 2021,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> which criminalised violence towards retail staff in Scotland, and the Crime and Policing Bill 2025 across England and Wales, which will introduce similar measures in England and Wales.<ref name="gov.uk"/>

National Minimum Wage

Usdaw was one of the main unions that campaigned for the introduction of the National Minimum Wage in the 1980s and 1990s. It was finally introduced by the Labour Government in 1999 and provides a legal minimum for workers in the UK on pay. In the 2024 General Election, Usdaw campaigned for a National Living Wage of £12 an hour.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Usdaw also engages in consultations around the setting of both the National Living Wage and Real Living Wage,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and has been calling for an end to ‘rip-off’ youth rates.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Logo for the Keep Sunday Special campaign

Keep Sunday Special

Usdaw has had a long-running campaign to prevent changes that would allow shops to stay open later in England and Wales.<ref name="USDAW - Keep Sunday Special">Template:Cite web</ref> Before 1994, shops were prohibited from opening on a Sunday, and Usdaw successfully defeated the Conservative Government’s attempt to liberalise regulations through the 1986 Shops Bill. Since 1994, any shop over 280 square metres has been able to open for six hours on a Sunday.<ref name="USDAW - Keep Sunday Special"/> The campaign also successfully prevented further changes in 2006 and has lobbied against a recent pilot in Belfast, Northern Ireland.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Equality and inclusion

Usdaw has championed equality issues, both in workplaces and the union movement.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It runs programmes to widen participation and address barriers faced by under-represented groups, including Black members, women, disabled and young workers, and LGBT+ members. This includes the Breaking Down Barriers development programme for black members, with the aim of increasing diversity among workplace reps and elected bodies.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The programme has been highlighted as important by both the TUC and the Show Racism the Red Card campaign.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Publications

USDAW produces a quarterly membership magazine for members, Arena, as well as a bimonthly magazine for union activists, Network.

2022 annual survey report

Statistics taken from the USDAW 2022 annual survey of over 7,700 of its retail members showed that high levels of verbal abuse, threats and assaults were common in the industry. The survey also found the number of incidents has come down since the exceptionally high levels during the pandemic, but remain higher than pre-Covid levels in 2019.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

General Secretaries

Joanne Thomas, current General Secretary of Usdaw

Since 1947, USDAW has had eight General Secretaries:<ref name="125years">Template:Cite book</ref>

1947: Sir Joseph Hallsworth

1949: Sir Alan Birch

1962: Lord Allen of Fallowfield

1979: Bill Whatley

1986: Lord Davies of Coity

1997: Sir William Connor

2004: John Hannett

2018: Paddy Lillis

2025: Joanne Thomas

Presidents

Since 1947, USDAW has had eleven Presidents:<ref name="125years" />

1947: Percy Cottrell

1948: Walter Padley

1964: Dick SeabrookTemplate:Citation needed

1965: Rodney Haines

1967: Dick Seabrook

1974: Jim D. Hughes

1977: Sydney Tierney

1991: Audrey Wise

1997: Marge Carey, MBE

2006: Jeff Broome

2018: Amy Murphy<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2021: Jane Jones <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Affiliations

Usdaw is affiliated to the Trades Union Congress (TUC).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Within the UK, Usdaw is affiliated to the UK Labour Party and is represented at all levels, including at their national conference, NEC, policy forum, regional and constituency parties.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

External links

• Template:Official website