In its submission to the Labour Market Enforcement Strategy, ACS has highlighted the importance of the 392,000 jobs provided in UK convenience stores and the benefits that those jobs provide to colleagues.
The Director of Labour Market Enforcement, Margaret Beels OBE, has sent a call for evidence for devolving a new Labour Market Enforcement Strategy, for the enforcement of employment rights with a view to protecting workers.
Figures from the 2021 Local Shop Report show that local shops provide a wide range of working hours for colleagues, with around one in five (18%) working 40+ hours a week, and just under one in three (30%) working 16 hours a week or less.
The report also shows the long term prospects of convenience store employment, with 92% employed on a permanent contract, 66% feeling as though they have job security, and just 17% of colleagues being in the business for less than a year.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “The convenience store sector is a great place to work, providing flexibility, security and local employment that fits in with people’s lives. We’re keen to work with the Director of Labour Market Enforcement on the continued development of the Labour Market Enforcement Strategy to enforce the importance of good work, and urge the Government to look at additional ways to recognise employers that provide sustainable and flexible jobs.”
In the submission, ACS has also noted the recent challenges with recruitment in the convenience sector and the increased competition for workers at or near the National Living Wage rate among retailers and other employers.
The full submission is available here.
