Peers who are disconnected from the desires of voters have been accused by the TUC leader of aligning with unfavorable employers in their attempts to dilute proposed reforms to worker rights. TUC’s General Secretary, Paul Nowak, pointed fingers at Liberal Democrat and Conservative peers for stalling the progress of the Employment Rights Bill by proposing amendments that would weaken protections for millions of workers.
The upcoming House of Lords session on Tuesday will revisit the Bill, aimed at prohibiting exploitative zero-hours contracts, granting compensation rights for canceled shifts, and barring unfair dismissals from the first day of employment. However, the advancement of the Bill is hindered by modifications proposed by Conservative and Liberal Democrat peers, including one amendment that could allow employers to circumvent providing guaranteed hours contracts to workers.
Another amendment suggests implementing a six-month qualifying period for safeguarding against unfair terminations. According to TUC’s analysis, over 2 million workers could lose protection from unjust dismissals if these amendments are approved.
Nowak criticized the actions of these peers, stating that their votes in favor of retaining zero-hours contracts and denying protection to millions of workers reflect their support for unethical employers. He emphasized that banning zero-hours contracts and safeguarding workers from unjust dismissals are sensible measures supported by the majority, including voters from Conservative and Liberal Democrat backgrounds.
The TUC leader urged opposition peers to reconsider their stance, cautioning them against appearing out of touch and contradicting the wishes of their own supporters and the general public. He emphasized the need for these peers to step back so that the government can enact new rights for a significant portion of the workforce.
These developments follow a comprehensive survey conducted by Hope Not Hate, revealing that an overwhelming majority of respondents, including Conservative and Liberal Democrat supporters, endorse protections for workers from day one of employment and advocate for zero-hours contract workers to be offered guaranteed hours contracts after 12 weeks.