Out-of-touch members of the House of Lords are going against the desires of voters by aligning themselves with unethical employers in their attempts to weaken reforms aimed at protecting workers’ rights, stated the leader of the TUC.
The TUC General Secretary, Paul Nowak, accused both Liberal Democrat and Conservative peers of obstructing the progress of the Employment Rights Bill by proposing amendments that would dilute safeguards for millions of workers.
Scheduled for debate in the House of Lords on Tuesday, the Bill aims to outlaw exploitative zero-hours contracts, grant workers the right to compensation for canceled shifts, and prohibit unjust dismissals from the first day of employment.
However, the advancement of the Bill has been hindered by amendments put forth by Conservative and Liberal Democrat peers, with one amendment creating a potential loophole for employers to evade providing workers with guaranteed hours contracts.
Another proposed amendment seeks to impose a six-month qualifying period before workers can be shielded from unfair dismissals.
Analysis conducted by the TUC revealed that over 2 million workers would lose protection against unfair dismissal if these amendments are approved.
Mr. Nowak criticized the peers, stating, “By supporting zero-hours contracts and denying protection to 2 million workers from unjust dismissals, Conservative and Liberal Democrat Lords are showing allegiance to unethical employers.”
He emphasized, “The ban on zero-hours contracts and safeguarding workers from unfair dismissals are basic protections that the majority of the population, including Conservative and Liberal Democrat voters, wish to see implemented.”
Mr. Nowak also urged the peers to step aside so that the government can enact new rights for millions of workers, cautioning that opposing these measures could lead to a disconnect with their own supporters and the general public.
This controversy follows a comprehensive survey by Hope Not Hate, which revealed that 71% of respondents support immediate protection for workers from unfair dismissals, with significant backing from both Conservative (64%) and Liberal Democrat (74%) supporters.
Furthermore, nearly 8 out of 10 individuals (78%) favored a policy requiring employers to offer zero-hours contract workers a guaranteed-hours contract after a 12-week period based on their regular workload, including a majority of Tory voters (72%) and Liberal Democrat supporters (79%).