Industry responds to Employment Rights Bill

Ruth Wilkinson, head of policy and public affairs at the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) said, “The Employment Rights Bill has the potential to be a watershed moment for the UK but there are some gaps that must be addressed to truly get our economy back on track. 

“Legislation on exploitative zero-hours contracts and strengthening employees’ rights to request flexible working are long overdue, as are establishing day one rights to sick pay.

“We are keen, however, for the right to "switch off" from work communications to be brought into the Bill, to prevent the boundary between people's work and personal lives from remaining blurred. So today, on World Mental Health Day 2024, we call for greater clarification to stop people from having to be ‘always on’ or work long, onerous shifts or additional hours, something which risk harming their physical and mental health. 

“Other areas conspicuous by their absence include protections around the use of AI and new technologies in workplaces, access to occupational health systems to reduce the burden of work-related physical and mental ill health, greater funding for the Health and Safety Executive, and addressing human rights abuses in supply chains. We are keen to work with the Government on strengthening this and other parts of the Bill.”

Peter McGettrick, chairman of British Safety Council said, “The reforms that have been set out today in the Employment Rights Bill are a major step forwards in ensuring all workers benefit from a more certain and consistent floor of standards and protections in work. Like other successful employment reforms that came before them, if done right, this set of measures can be a win-win for businesses, employees, and the economy.

“We would like to see them being part of a new approach to growth and productivity which recognises that people’s wellbeing, health and safety are fundamental to our wider prosperity. Mental ill-health is one of the biggest causes of long-term absence in the UK workplace, and on World Mental Health Day, there couldn’t be a better time to introduce changes which should make work more secure and less stressful for many people in our country.

“Whether you work in a small start-up or a large corporate, and whatever the nature your contract, we should all get the same basic rights and protections at work, and employers should then be given the flexibility and scope to do what is right for their business. Clearly, these changes are not all going to happen immediately, and we will have to see how they will look after the Government has consulted, but we need employers to get clarity and certainty sooner rather than later, so that workers can thrive not just survive.”

Paul Nowak, TUC general secretary said, “After 14 years of stagnating living standards, working people desperately need secure jobs they can build a decent life on.  

“Whether it's tackling the scourge of zero-hours contracts and fire and rehire, improving access to sick pay and parental leave, or clamping down on exploitation – this bill highlights Labour's commitment to upgrade rights and protections for millions.  

“Driving up employment standards is good for workers, good for business and good for growth. It will give workers more predictability and control and it will stop good employers from being undercut by the bad.

“While there is still detail to be worked through, this bill signals a seismic shift away from the Tories’ low pay, low rights, low productivity economy.  

“It is time to write a positive new chapter for working people in this country.”  

Gary Smith, GMB general secretary said, "This is a significant and groundbreaking first step to giving workers the rights they've been denied for so long. 

"But there is long way to go. The Government won a huge mandate for the New Deal, now they must make sure unions and workers are front and centre of the detailed discussions needed to deliver it.

"The legislation must be watertight and without loopholes that could be used by those wanting to delay the rights workers so desperately need.”