Amendment 1 seeks to replace the Bill’s right to a guaranteed-hours contract, which reflects the hours workers normally work, with a far weaker ‘right to request’. This significantly undermines the intent of the new provision and substantially dilutes efforts to strengthen employment rights. The new right to a guaranteed-hours contract is one of the Bill’s most important provisions. One-sided flexibility, through short- and zero-hours contracts, leaves working people vulnerable to sudden changes in income, with weekly working hours varying unpredictably.
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.
We welcome that the Government has committed to defend the Bill from these unwarranted attacks by rejecting the amendments when it comes back to the House of Commons.
“Making work more secure was clearly a key part of Labour’s manifesto, which was overwhelmingly supported by voters in last year’s landslide general election win. It ill becomes the Tories and Lib Dems to go against the expressed will of the people. 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.
“The Usdaw Group of MPs are right to focus on the right to a contract that reflects the number of hours normally worked. It is a crucial part of the Bill that will make a huge difference in helping to make work pay for many of the lowest-paid workers. The onus should be on the employer to make the offer of a proper contract, because employment protections that are based on the ‘right to request’ are ineffective for many workers, who come under pressure and coercion from their managers.
“We hope that Lib Dem MPs 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 those currently on zero- and short-hours contracts.”
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
Michael Wheeler MP’s letter to all Lib Dem MPs:
www.usdaw.org.uk/LibDemLetterERB
For Usdaw press releases visit: www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Bluesky @usdawunion.bsky.social and Twitter/X @UsdawUnion