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Tories plan to scrap Minimum Wage is cause for Wage Concern08 May 2009
Usdaw, the shopworkers’ union, is leading a campaign to save the National Minimum Wage from a Tory Bill to scrap it. Usdaw has teamed up with John Prescott’s Go Fourth campaign and other unions, to launch ‘Wage Concern’ to stop a Tory Private Members Bill that will totally undermine the minimum wage and drive millions of workers back to poverty pay. The Employment Opportunities Bill, tabled by Senior Conservative Christopher Chope, who as a minister helped bring in the Poll Tax, is timetabled for its second reading in Parliament next Friday 15 May. During the Bill’s first reading, Mr Chope said it will: “Introduce more freedom, flexibility and opportunity for those seeking employment in the public and private sectors.” The Bill, which is supported by ten other Tory MPs, aims to:
Usdaw campaigned for a Labour Government to introduce the minimum wage in 1999. The Union is now asking all trade unionists and working people to save the minimum wage by signing the petition launched today at http://www.wageconcern.com John Hannett, Usdaw General Secretary and member of the Low Pay Commission, said: "The minimum wage provides income protection and security for millions of workers. It stops unscrupulous employers from driving down wages across the board. The new Tory ‘Employment Opportunities Bill’ would allow employers to opt out of their responsibility to their staff to pay a fair days wage for a fair day’s work and effectively bring an end to the National Minimum Wage. "This shows the Tories in their true light and is a little insight into what a Conservative Government would do. They are still fighting the battles of the 1980s and 90s when they abolished the wages councils and left my members and millions of other workers without wage protection. David Cameron talks about an age of austerity, well we now know that he means it for low-paid workers. "There is always pressure on wages and the minimum wage is needed to ensure people are paid fairly. I urge anyone who cares about the protection of our workforce to log on to http://www.wageconcern.com and sign the petition to save our minimum wage." John Prescott added: "Only a Tory could suggest that not being able to work for less than minimum wage would be a denial of Human Rights. This from a party that actually wants to abolish the Human Rights Act and provide cheaper labour. "We call on everyone who believes in fairness and social justice to join Wage Concern and help us kill this Tory Bill on May 15." Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary, said: "Christopher Chope and his Tory cabal want to turn the clock back to the days of poverty pay where workers are exploited by unscrupulous bosses. The sham Caring Conservatism is stripped bare by their plans. They have shown clearly that they are not on the side of ordinary hard-working people. "The minimum wage is a symbol of a civilised society, a floor to protect workers that gives them dignity. It is needed more than ever in tough economic times. And isn't it typical of the Tories that their response to the recession is to rob the poor to keep the rich? "UNISON fought long and hard to establish the statutory National Minimum Wage, in the teeth of opposition and unfounded scaremongering about massive job losses. Any attempt to dilute or abolish it will be resisted."
Information for EditorsJohn Prescott on YouTube John Prescott went back to his roots yesterday when he visited a restaurant. John worked as a commis chef as a young man, where he was protected by wage councils, before the Tories abolished them. Now he is campaigning on YouTube to stop them abolishing the national minimum wage. See the clip at http://www.wageconcern.com The Employment Opportunities Bill The 11 Tory MPs backing the bill are:
Christopher Chope (Christchurch) You can look at Hansard of the First Reading of the Bill at http://tinyurl.com/d9g7ao John Hannett and Usdaw Usdaw is the 4th largest trade union in the country with over 370,000 members and is the main union in retail, but also has members in distribution, catering and manufacturing. Usdaw is the fastest-growing union in the country and has increased by over 100,000 members in the last 10 years as a result of ongoing recruitment. John Hannett is General Secretary of Usdaw and one of the three trade union representatives on the Low Pay Commission that recommends the rate of the minimum wage. The Minimum Wage The Labour Government introduced the National Minimum Wage in 1999 to ensure decent wages for the low paid and to create a level playing field for employers so that better employers could not be undercut by the worst payers. Following the last Conservative Government’s abolition of the Wages Councils in 1993 there had been no legal protection for wages and in some areas low skilled jobs were routinely paid at less than £2 an hour. The introduction of the National Minimum Wage in 1999 at a rate of £3.60 gave over 2 million workers an immediate pay rise. Millions more have since benefited every year as the rate has increased by almost 60% over 10 years to £5.73 an hour today. Go Fourth Go Fourth is a campaign run by and for its supporters that's dedicated to fighting for the re-election of a Labour Government committed to the same principles and values which have won us an unprecedented three consecutive victories. Go Fourth was founded by John Prescott, Glenys Kinnock, Richard Caborn and Alastair Campbell in September 2008 to create a broad grassroots movement to secure a progressive Fourth Labour Term. The campaign's main aims are to proudly defend the record of the Labour Government since 1997, actively support the Government in promoting policies that will build on our successes, encourage greater participation in the Labour Party and highlight the damage a Conservative Government would do to Britain. You can find out more at http://www.gofourth.co.uk Notes to Editors:
Contact Details Politics Section Ph: 0161 224 2804 Fax: 0161 257 2566 Email: politics@usdaw.org.uk  Printer Friendly Page  Email to a Friend
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