Workers have to come before profit in Employment Rights Bill
Keir Starmer must not bend the knee to big business interests over the upcoming Employment Rights Bill, says Scottish Greens MSP, Maggie Chapman.
The Employment Rights Bill, which is meant to improve workers' rights and ban zero-hours contracts, has come under pressure as Tories and large corporate lobbying groups try to water down the bill.
Scottish Greens have long called for many of the provisions included in the bill, but are determined to see it go further, including protecting hospitality and retail workers from unpaid trial shift exploitation, increasing the minimum wage to at least the real living wage and taking steps to normalise a four-day work week with no loss of pay.
Union leaders have called on the Labour government to ignore calls from lobbyists and work to strengthen workers’ rights.
Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman said:
“Workers deserve better. For too long, big businesses across the country have exploited and used workers to put profits into their shareholders' pockets.
“Scottish Greens have been calling for years to improve workers rights here in Scotland because we know things must change. But when Labour had the chance to back our calls to devolve workers' rights to the Scottish Parliament, they failed. They lacked the courage to stand up for Scottish workers.
“Now, Labour must have the courage to stand up against corporate lobbyists who want to water down this crucial Employment Rights Bill. This bill is far from perfect, but it can make crucial progress towards a better deal for workers and implement many of the policies that Scottish Greens want to see delivered here in Scotland.
“Whilst the Tories and big business try to water down the bill, it’s more important than ever that all MPs put the rights of workers before profit.”