Employment Rights Bill: Usdaw urges MPs to unanimously back the plan to make work pay and jobs more secure

Paddy Lillis – Usdaw general secretary says: “Today we welcome the first parliamentary debate on historic legislation that will help bring to an 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, and 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.

“Labour won the last election on the promise of change and because the Conservatives failed to grow our economy, didn’t protect workers in the cost of living crisis and repeatedly attacked workers’ rights and trade unions. Today Tory MPs can demonstrate they’ve heard the voters’ verdict on them and learnt the lessons of 14 years of failure. Surely, no MP can possibly oppose the general principle of this legislation to make work pay and all should vote for the Bill at second reading, so it can progress to detailed scrutiny.

“Usdaw has long campaigned for a new deal for workers, and the Employment Rights Bill delivers on that. The Bill also builds on the action already taken by Labour in Government to change the remit of the Low Pay Commission. The Commission are now required to take account of the cost of living when setting wage rates, and make progress towards ending rip-off youth rates. For the first time ever, there is the opportunity to have a genuine living wage for all adult workers that is legally enforceable.

“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.”