The chief of the TUC has warned the brand new Prime Minister she's going to face large resistance if she makes an attempt to weaken staff’ rights.
General secretary Frances O’Grady stated the union organisation is ready to take the Authorities to court docket if Liz Truss makes any transfer to make it tougher to strike or adjustments laws on working hours, sick pay or well being and questions of safety.
She informed the PA information company that the TUC is “ready to throw the kitchen sink” at defending employment rights and has already taken authorized recommendation.
You'll be able to’t develop the financial system by slashing staff’ rightsFrances O'Grady, TUC
In an interview forward of subsequent week’s TUC Congress, Ms O’Grady urged Ms Truss to not be a “P&O prime minister”, in reference to the outrage over the sacking of 800 seafarers with out discover and session.
Unions are gearing up for early clashes with the brand new Conservative Get together chief after it was reported that she's going to overview all rights which derive from EU legislation.
Her pledge to crack down on strikes has already been extensively condemned by unions, together with these at the moment embroiled in industrial disputes over pay, jobs and circumstances.
Ms O’Grady stated: “You'll be able to’t develop the financial system by slashing staff’ rights, and it’s telling that no severe enterprise chief is clamouring to go down that path.
“If this Authorities rips up staff’ rights it can giving a inexperienced gentle to P&O-style rogue employers to stint on pay and drive down office circumstances in each nook of the nation.
“Introducing the Commerce Union Act, slashing unfair dismissal rights, and slicing company taxes left us with longest pay squeeze for 200 years and forecasts of a recession that's set to final all subsequent 12 months.”
Ms O’Grady stated the prolonged Tory management contest had been a “horrible distraction” from the cost-of-living disaster and admits she doesn't have a lot confidence that the brand new Prime Minister will ship enhancements for staff.
She appealed for unions to be given a voice within the battle to develop the financial system, saying they've put ahead a raft of concepts to make working life higher.
Ms O’Grady pointed to the TUC’s latest evaluation which urged that insecure work is costing the financial system £10 billion a 12 months in misplaced tax revenues and elevated social safety funds.
The TUC stated a brand new survey of greater than 3,000 adults confirmed help for stronger staff’ rights, with the overwhelming majority of the general public – together with a majority of those that say they'll vote Conservative on the subsequent election – eager to see rights within the office bolstered.
Three in 4 respondents stated they supported ending “hearth and rehire” – the observe the place employers threaten to sack staff except they settle for new contracts with worse phrases and circumstances – and an identical quantity needed zero-hours contracts banned.
The TUC stated its polling reveals stronger staff’ rights is a “vote winner”, whereas ripping up labour legal guidelines is a “vote loser” – in addition to a technique to drive down residing requirements throughout the nation.
The convention, in Brighton, would be the final one earlier than Ms O’Grady steps down as TUC normal secretary within the new 12 months, to get replaced by present deputy Paul Nowak.
Labour chief Sir Keir Starmer will tackle the convention, and there shall be calls throughout the week to co-ordinate the wave of strikes raging throughout the UK.
The Establishment of Occupational Security and Well being (IOSH) has written to the brand new Prime Minister highlighting areas for motion it says are wanted to help staff.
Referring to “an more and more unsure labour market”, IOSH chief govt Vanessa Harwood-Whitcher stated the Authorities’s focus shouldn't be on compromising well being and security requirements however on reinforcing them.
She stated: “Lately, we now have seen employment and well being and questions of safety stagnate, after we needs to be valuing and investing in our staff.”