Zero-hours contracts: peers accused of ‘trying to block stronger UK workers’ rights’ | Zero-hours contracts

The conservative and liberal democratic peers are accused of trying to prevent stronger rights for millions of workers in the midst of an increasing campaign to irrigate Labour’s zero -hour contract plans of business leaders.

In a coup for the government last week, the lords voted to reduce the promise of the manifesto to give the workers a guaranteed right to a hourly contract and a day protection against unfair dismissal.

Lords who set up a reckoning with the upper room, deputies returned from the summer holidays when the ministers should be addressed by a series of changes in the invoice of employment have passed.

In an angry intervention on Monday, Paul Nowak, Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress, said the lords should “make the proposal of the bad bosses” and the plans should “come out of their way”.

“The fact that hereditary peers voting to prevent stronger workers’ rights belong to another century. This is a clear mistake,” he said.

In accordance with the changes of the lords, a requirement for employers to provide a contract covering a guaranteed number of watches to zero -hour workers will be replaced to be placed in the personnel to request such an arrangement.

As of the first day of the employment that the government plans to fall from the current level of two years, protections will be extended to six months and changes that will release trade unions will be restricted.

The bill will return to Commons in September to take into account the changes of MPs. Later, two houses continue to vote for changes in a process known as “ping-pong kadar until it is accepted as a forward way.

The changes were suggested, Lord Hunt, a former leader of the StockPort council, Lord Dem Lord Goddard and two torry peers: Lord Hunt, a shadow business minister, and a former investment banker Lord Sharpe.

Hunt did not respond to the request for comments. Sharpe said: “Keir Starmer’s unemployment bill is a disaster for employees as well as a threat to work. Workers’ politicians who never work in the business world destroy the economy. Only conservatives listen to business and sue for growth.”

Goddard said Labour’s “Hurry Bill” will be bad for workers in small businesses and family owners. “They were badly disappointed by the conservatives, and when it comes to farms and small businesses, labor seems to have a blind point.

“We support the bill as a whole and we worked in a constructive way to try to improve it. It is embarrassing to see that the government is upset that we did not give them an empty check.”

Employer groups welcomed the changes, saying that the lords responded to business concerns. Helen Dickinson, General Manager of British Retail Consortium, said, “Making positive, practical and pragmatic changes in the employment rights bill [will] Help maintain the availability of valuable, local, part -time and entry -level works in the country. “

Industrial chiefs have increased lobbying against workers’ rights changes by warning that companies have already reduced jobs and put prices in response to the tax increases in the autumn budget of Rachel Reeves.

Dickinson said it was “more going to go” to prevent the employment rights bill. “Even with these changes, retailers are worried about the consequences of the works coming from other fields of the bill.”

However, union leaders urged the ministers to stand intact. A recent mega survey, conservative, lib dem and reform supporters of 21,000 people assigned by Tuc found that the majority of England voters, including British supporters, were banned from zero -hour contracts.

Nowak, the government plan, the majority of people want to be a law, “he said. “These peers are not only in contact, but actively challenges their voters – and in general the public. The government should stand solid in the face of cynical attacks and present the employment rights bill.”