Usdaw has raised our objections with the provisions in the trade union bill and is actively supporting today’s Trade Union Congress’ parliamentary lobby. Usdaw rarely organises industrial action and sees such a process as a last resort following a serious breakdown in industrial relations. In fact, during 2014, Usdaw completed over 135 separate pay reviews, in addition to numerous pensions, redundancy and shift change consultations. Throughout all this work, Usdaw did not undertake one industrial action ballot.

Whilst Usdaw only very rarely conducts an industrial action ballot, the ability to run such a ballot is an important part of ensuring that employers enter negotiations with a mind-set to reach agreement. Usdaw is concerned that any steps to weaken the ability of trade unions to take industrial action will damage the nature of our effective industrial relations strategy. We see no benefits from the government’s proposals around industrial action ballots, picketing and agency workers.

Usdaw operates our own political fund. As well as funding our affiliation to the Labour party, this fund allows the union to participate in political campaigning. One of Usdaw’s most high profiles campaigns is entitled Freedom From Fear. This campaign seeks to ensure that retail workers receive adequate protection from verbal and physical abuse. A major part of this campaign seeks to ensure the creation of an additional offence of assaulting a worker serving the public. The trade union bill puts the future of this work at risk.

Usdaw works hard to ensure that our members are aware of the political campaign work we undertake on their behalf and promote how the world of politics is relevant to their daily lives. In line with current legislation, Usdaw runs a political fund ballot every ten years asking members if they believe that the union should continue to be able to engage in political activity. The last ballot took place in 2013 where the continuation of the fund was accepted with a 93 per cent yes vote.

Usdaw has already raised our concerns through robust responses to consultation papers, raising the issues with members of parliament and providing both written and oral evidence to the parliamentary scrutiny committee. In addition, Usdaw members have been contacting their MPs to ensure that they are aware of the full impact of the bill.

Usdaw sees awareness raising as an important step to opposing the bill. A bill that seeks to remove working people’s representatives from Westminster; introduce mandatory identification armbands in public; and destroy effective industrial relations in the United Kingdom.

Usdaw firmly believes that the British electorate do not support such restrictive provisions and that the Conservatives are desperately attempting to force through major changes under the radar. We are engaged in a mass education campaign to ensure that our members are fully aware of how the bill will damage their rights to fair representation. Usdaw is encouraging our members to raise these issues with their MP to ensure they are fully aware that the bill is not supported by the vast majority of the UK electorate.

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John Hannett is general secretary of Usdaw. He tweets at @JohnHannett

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The Progress team will be at the Trades Union Congress’ mass lobby of parliament on Monday 2 November 2015. Join us. Let us know you are coming and tell your member of parliament to vote against the trade union bill (the TUC have done a handy guide and model letter here) and protect the right to strike.