USDAW is Britain's fastest growing trade union

An estimated 7.38 million people in employment in the UK were members of a trade union in autumn 2003, an increase of 0.4 per cent on the previous year, according to a new report by the U.K. Department of Trade and Industry.

During the same period, UNI Commerce affiliated Usdaw (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) continued its impressive growth, recording a membership figure of 331,703 at the end of 2003 - a rise of 10,552 (3.3 per cent) over the year.

The DTI report, called Trade Union Membership 2003, reveals that the rate of union membership increased slightly, from 29.2 per cent in 2002 to 29.3 per cent of employees in autumn 2003. This is the first time that employee union density has increased since the Labour Force Survey started recording it in 1989.

Usdaw has consolidated its claim to the fastest growing union in UK by achieving increases in its total membership figure every year since 1994. The number of members in Usdaw at the end of 2003 was the highest it has been since 1991. The upward surge has continued during 2004, with the union's membership total passing the milestone third-of-a-million mark in May and topping 335,000 in July.

Since 1995, Usdaw's membership has grown by nearly 50,000 (an increase of 17 per cent). Last year, Usdaw recruited the highest number of new members in one year (81,947) since 1990. The rate of recruitment is such that, on average, Usdaw reps and officials recruit more than 220 new members every day.

John Hannett, Usdaw's General Secretary and vice president of UNI-Europa Commerce, said: "More and more workers are realising the benefits and support network that goes hand-in-hand with union membership. Usdaw is delivering success for our members, improving on terms and conditions, assisting in learning opportunities and winning campaigns. The union, our reps and officials are determined to build on these achievements."

Other stats from the DTI's Trade Union Membership 2003 report include:

• The number of male employees who were union members fell by around 48,000 in 2003, while female employees in trade unions rose by around 37,000.

• Northern Ireland had the highest union density (39.4 per cent). In Wales it was 38.3 per cent, in Scotland 35.5 per cent and England 27.9 per cent.

• The number of UK employees covered by a collective agreement was 8.66 million in autumn 2003 (35.9 per cent of all workers).