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Usdaw remains baffled by the Tories’ continued opposition to improving workers’ rights

Retail trade union Usdaw welcomes progress on Labour delivering their manifesto promise of a new deal for workers, as the Employment Rights Bill passes second reading in the House of Lords. It will now go for detailed scrutiny in committee. The landmark legislation seeks to end unfair employment practices and make work more secure.

28 March 2025

0 min read

Responding to the Bill on behalf of Conservative Peers, Lord Hunt said: “We will oppose this Bill all the way”. Fellow Tories spoke against: protecting workers from harassment from customers, the day-one right to protection from unfair dismissal, and the right for a worker to have a contract that reflects their normal working hours.

Paddy Lillis – Usdaw general secretary says: “This historic legislation will help end years of low-paid, insecure employment which failed our economy, businesses and working people. The Employment Rights Bill will help secure economic growth by improving productivity after years of stagnation. It will help stop rogue employers undercutting those who treat their staff properly, while giving workers security, respect and the decency of an income they can live on.

“It is shocking that Tory Peers were whipped into opposing the Employment Rights Bill, meaning that they are opposed to the fundamental principles of making work pay and employment more secure. We will continue to engage with the Government as the Bill progresses, to make sure it delivers the much-needed change that our members and all workers need.”

The Employment Rights Bill will:

  • Ban exploitative zero-hours contracts and provide a right to a regular-hours contract.
  • Make Statutory Sick Pay available from day one of absence and to all workers, regardless of income.
  • Day-one access to employment rights, including challenging an unfair dismissal.
  • Require employers to protect staff from customer harassment.
  • Give trade unions the right to access workplaces, to recruit and organise workers.
  • Simplify the trade union recognition process to give workers a voice.
  • Introduce statutory rights for workplace equalities representatives.
  • Limit the use of fire and rehire.
  • Create a fair work agency to put enforcement of employment rights into a single body.

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

Summary

Retail trade union Usdaw welcomes progress on Labour delivering their manifesto promise of a new deal for workers, as the Employment Rights Bill passes second reading in the House of Lords. It will now go for detailed scrutiny in committee. The landmark legislation seeks to end unfair employment practices and make work more secure.