Out-of-touch members of the House of Lords are being criticized for going against the will of voters and aligning with employers who do not support workers’ rights reforms, according to the TUC leader.
Paul Nowak, the General Secretary of the TUC, accused Liberal Democrat and Conservative peers of stalling the progress of the Employment Rights Bill with amendments aimed at weakening protections for millions of workers.
The Bill, set to be debated in the House of Lords on Tuesday, aims to outlaw exploitative zero-hours contracts, grant workers compensation for canceled shifts, and prevent unfair dismissals from the start of employment.
However, the Bill is facing delays due to proposed amendments by Conservative and Liberal Democrat peers, one of which could create a loophole allowing employers to avoid providing guaranteed hours contracts to workers.
Another amendment seeks to impose a six-month qualifying period before workers are safeguarded from unfair dismissals.
According to TUC analysis, over 2 million workers would lose protection from unfair dismissal if these amendments are approved.
Nowak criticized the peers, stating that by supporting zero-hours contracts and denying protection to 2 million workers, they are favoring the interests of unethical employers over workers’ rights. He emphasized that banning zero-hours contracts and safeguarding workers from unfair dismissal are measures that most people, including Conservative and Liberal Democrat supporters, want to see implemented.
He urged the peers to step aside so the government can enact new rights for millions of workers, warning that opposition members must be cautious about appearing disconnected from the public and going against their supporters’ wishes.
A recent survey by Hope Not Hate revealed that a majority of respondents, including Tory and Lib Dem supporters, support protecting workers from unfair dismissal from day one on the job. Additionally, a significant percentage of participants endorsed the requirement for employers to offer guaranteed-hours contracts to zero-hours workers after 12 weeks, indicating broad public support for such measures.