Retail trade union leader, Joanne Thomas, says she is staggered that both Conservative and Liberal Democrat Peers have yet again held up the Employment Rights Bill to give rogue employers the right to unfairly dismiss staff.
The new legislation to make work more secure includes a measure to protect workers from unfair dismissal from day one of employment, which opposition Peers have rejected. Now, the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) is calling on MPs to reverse this change when the bill comes back to the House of Commons later this year.
Thomas (left), general secretary at Usdaw, said: “It’s staggering that opposition Peers have decided it’s ok to unfairly dismiss a worker without any recourse to an employment tribunal.
“Labour had rightly proposed to end the two-year service qualification for challenging an unfair dismissal and make sure employers have to act fairly from day one. Under the Government’s proposal, employers would still be able to dismiss a worker if it is done fairly and through a proper process.
”The Tories and Lib Dems are going against the expressed will of the people.”
“We urge the Government to defend the bill from this unwarranted attack by rejecting the Lords amendments when it comes back to the House of Commons. Making work more secure was clearly a key part of Labour’s manifesto - which was widely supported by voters in last year’s landslide general election win. The Tories and Lib Dems are going against the expressed will of the people.”
No comments yet