Retail union Usdaw has launched its Marks & Spencer recruitment campaign nationally, after doubling its membership at the retailer in the past month.
The campaign was launched in the Northwest after it was reported that M&S, which does not recognise the union, intends to issue 66,000 new employment contracts to its workforce.
Usdaw said it has been inundated with calls from concerned employees fearful that the new contracts will erode terms and conditions that have traditionally been among the best on the high street.
“We’ve doubled the number of our M&S members in the last few weeks and they are telling us loud and clear they want Usdaw to be recognised by the company,” said Usdaw general secretary John Hannett.
“M&S profits slipped by 19% this year and we are concerned that this unilateral issuing of new contracts to every member of staff will not be in the best interests of our hardworking members, or their colleagues.
“Any further erosion of staff morale will surely be damaging to the future performance of M&S, so our message to the company is a simple one: recognise us,” he added.
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Usdaw’s national recruitment campaign will include regular contact with new M&S employees who have already phoned in expressing an interest in joining the union and recruiting colleagues in their stores.
If Usdaw manages to get 10% of M&S staff to join, then they can petition the Central Arbitration Committee to force the company to negotiate with them under the Employment Act 1999.
