Joanne Thomas – Usdaw general secretary says: “It was deeply disappointing that the Lib Dems and Tories combined in seeking to undermine the Government’s efforts to deliver a new deal for workers through the historic Employment Rights Bill. Unions are crystal clear; this was a manifesto commitment and must be delivered in full. That means passing the Bill intact and ensuring it is implemented robustly, so the rights deliver on the promise made to voters.
“Whether it’s day one rights, the right for everyone to have a guaranteed-hours contract, or the repeal of the Trade Union Act; this is the change working people voted for and the Government must stand firm against unelected Tory and Lib Dem Lords lining up with the bad bosses to water down workers’ rights.
“Across the UK economy, insecure work is a major issue and there is clearly a need to legislate. One in eight workers are in precarious employment and that has risen by one million since 2011. Living standards have fallen quite significantly and the impact on our members is significant. We hope that Peers will listen to our members’ concerns, do the right thing and stop undermining the vital changes in the Bill that will help bring fairness and security for workers.”
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is one of the fastest growing unions in the TUC and the UK’s fifth biggest trade union with around 360,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemical industry and other trades www.usdaw.org.uk
Employment Rights Bill: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3737
For Usdaw press releases visit: www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Bluesky @usdawunion.bsky.social and Twitter/X @UsdawUnion