In the Lords’ Third Reading debate, the Tories described it as a “terrible bill” and, along with the Lib Dems, stuck by their attempts to water down some of the key protections in the Employment Rights Bill, creating loopholes like:
• Turning a legal requirement for employers to offer guaranteed-hours contracts into a much weaker ‘right to request’.
• Letting employers off the hook for paying compensation for cancelled shifts, if just two days’ notice is given.
• Scrapping the new day-one right to protection from unfair dismissal.
Joanne Thomas – Usdaw general secretary says: “We very much welcome that Peers passed the historic Employment Rights Bill without a vote, but remain deeply concerned that it will return to the House of Commons with amendments that undermine the Government’s efforts to make work pay and jobs more secure. Clearly, from comments in the Lords debate, the Tories and Lib Dems intend to continue their opposition to these important legislative measures to bring fairness to the workplace.
“We are urging the Government to stand firm and deliver the Bill in full. Across the UK economy, insecure work is a major issue and there is clearly a need to legislate to improve productivity and stop rogue employers using poor employment practices to undercut those who treat their staff properly. This Bill is a key manifesto commitment and represents the change that our members voted for.”
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 – Lords Third Reading - Wednesday 3 September 2025
Employment Rights Bill: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3737
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