Unions are urging the government not to water down its flagship bill on workers’ rights as the TUC gathers for its annual congress in Brighton.
Senior union leaders spoke out after the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer appointed Peter Kyle, the Labour MP for Hove and Portslade, as the new Business and Trade Secretary.
His responsibilities include taking ministerial charge of guiding the Employment Rights Bill as the House of Commons and House of Lords work on the final wording of the draft law.
Union leaders said that, despite the ministerial changes over the past few days, people expected Labour to deliver on the promises that it made during the general election last year.
The bill, which is in its final parliamentary stages, was championed by the former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and former Employment Rights Minister Justin Madders.
Both have left the posts that they held as the legislation was taken through the Commons which has raised concerns among some union leaders.
TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said today (Sunday 7 September) that he had seen no evidence that the bill was going to be watered down.
Mr Nowak said: “The government must, and should, deliver on the promises it gave to the British people last July (2024).
“The bill will level the playing field – extending the standards already set by the best employers, working with unions, to millions more.
“It will stop good businesses being undercut by the cowboys and it will help build a modern economy that raises pay, boosts productivity and improves wellbeing.
“Tory and Lib Dem peers are desperately trying to water this bill down.
“We’ve got the shameful sight of hereditary peers blocking carers and cleaners from getting fair treatment at work. This isn’t the 1800s. It’s 2025.
“My message to these blockers is simple: get out of the way. You’re lucky enough not to face financial disaster if you take a day off sick.
“You’re lucky enough not to have to face abusive customers. You’re lucky enough not to worry about paying the bills if your boss cuts your shift with no notice.
“Millions of workers aren’t that lucky and working people have waited long enough for change. The Employment Rights Bill is a vital first step in tipping the balance back toward workers.
“So today, my message to all parliamentarians is simple: do the right thing. Listen to the public, stand with working people, deliver the bill in full.”
The TUC published new analysis which showed that four million people were in insecure work in the UK.
Among them were those on zero-hours contracts, agency, casual and seasonal workers and the low-paid self-employed who miss out on key rights and protections.
The TUC said that insecure work “exploded” under the Conservative government, increasing by 800,000 from 2011 to 2024.
Asked about the bill on Sky News, the Defence Secretary John Healey said: “I’m really confident that we’ll deliver what we promised in the manifesto – the biggest upgrade of workers’ rights for a generation. The bill’s been set out.”
Unite said that under new provisions, local government and public sector employers could fire and rehire workers.
General secretary Sharon Graham said: “Labour’s promise to ban fire and rehire is now a burnt-out shell.
“By amending the Employment Rights Bill to allow councils to use fire and rehire, it has them given them the green light to push down workers’ pay to cut debt. Yet again, workers pay the price.
“This, along with the government’s reshuffle, taking out all ministers who have worked with unions on the bill, signals a move in the wrong direction. Workers will feel duped when they realise the bill is a paper tiger.”
