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From The Socialist newspaper, 10 January 2018
Amy Murphy for Usdaw president - vote for a fighting and democratic union
Usdaw members including Amy Murphy (right) at the start of the March 2017 NHS demo, photo Usdaw Activist (Click to enlarge)
Socialist Party members in Usdaw
Elections for the new president of Usdaw, the shop and distribution workers' union, take place from 15 January with Socialist Party member Amy Murphy running to give the union a fighting leadership. That the union needs one is clear - the major supermarkets that Usdaw organises in have attacked terms and conditions and cut jobs in recent years, while the problems of zero-hour contracts and low pay are endemic in retail.
Amy previously ran for the position in 2015 and received 45% of the vote and goes into this election after 46 branches nominated her. She has been on the Usdaw executive council for six years and a rep in Tesco for 24 years.
Amy is fighting the election on a programme of capaigning for a £10 an hour minimum wage for all immediately, an end to the erosion of terms and conditions, an end to zero-hour contracts, supporting members when they want to take industrial action, and fighting to make Usdaw a democratic, member-led union. Amy is running as part of a Broad Left slate in the executive council elections which are also taking place.
Amy says: "As a shop worker, listening to members, I am aware of the unacceptable pressure being applied to staff of all grades to deliver, while still being expected to raise a smile! I strongly believe that the time has come to stand up to the companies you and I work for. Usdaw cannot carry on as it is, punching below its weight, while members live daily with the threat of cuts to pay and conditions."
- Ballot papers go out from 15 January. See 'Vote Amy Murphy for Usdaw President' on Facebook for Amy's leaflet and updates on the campaign.
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In The Socialist 10 January 2018:
What we think
Sustained mass movement needed to stop Tories wrecking our NHS
International socialist news and analysis
Movement challenges Iranian regime
Sweden: School strike against deportations
Socialist Party news and analysis
Cabinet chaos as shambolic reshuffle underlines Theresa May's impotence
Bigot Toby Young quits - now scrap the new uni regulator driving privatisation
Teacher recruitment falls by a third - cut workload, not funding
Socialist Party workplace news
McDonald's strike wins biggest pay rise in ten years
RMT rail members buoyed by coordinated action
Amy Murphy for Usdaw president - vote for a fighting and democratic union
Newham academy strikes spread to Cumberland school
UCU members balloting for action on pension cuts
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
2017 was the best fighting fund total this century!
Socialist sales highest in years as mistrust in capitalist media hits record levels
Hoxton: "Stop this unwanted development"
Closure of Nottingham unit shows dismantling of NHS
Socialist Party comments and reviews
Art can help expose sexual harassment
Debate: should tower blocks form part of socialist housing policy?
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