If elected, the Labour Party has promised a radical package of employment law changes, and to legislate for changes within 100 days. Policies on the table include:
- Ending bogus self-employment;
- Increasing SSP and making it available to all (including self-employed);
- Banning zero-hours contracts;
- Extending tribunal claim time limits;
- Ending “fire and rehire” tactics used by employers.
Deputy Leader Angela Rayner has gone on record as saying that Labour will legislate to implement the full package within 100 days of being elected.
Trade unions are pressurising party leader Keir Starmer to ensure that these promises really are going to happen. Concerns are mounting because business groups are lobbying against some of the proposals which they believe are unnecessary and may be too costly for businesses to implement.
As ever it all comes down to money. The unions are flexing their collective muscle as they donate significant sums to the Labour Party and clearly expect Starmer to deliver on his commitment to strengthen workers’ rights. He promised to legislate within 100 days, and unions want to ensure that this will actually happen.
Of course no date has been set for the general election, although it needs to take place before the end of this year.
