Since the general election, the advocates of the Labour government have sought to deflect criticism of its many attacks on the working class. This has been mostly done by pointing to the ‘Employment Rights Act’ as a major step forward.
But whilst some of the changes brought in by the Act are welcome, the reality is that it has been watered down at every step. This includes allowing loopholes around fire and rehire and zero-hour contracts before the general election, causing Unite the Union to refuse to sign off on the proposals.
Since the Act has passed, the government has delayed scrapping the 50% turnout threshold for strike ballots. They have since faced pressure from big business to water down further or not implement parts of the legislation.
This started with attacks on the proposals to guarantee contracts reflecting the hours workers work. This proposal emanates from Usdaw, linked to the question of a right to a minimum contract of 16 hours, unless workers genuinely opt out.
This formed the core of Usdaw’s campaigning for better jobs in retail, alongside a £15-an-hour minimum wage, ending zero-hour contracts, full sick pay from day one, and other measures.
Members of the Usdaw Broad Left, including Socialist Party members, played an important role in arguing for those policies at the union’s conference and on its NEC. Therefore, a retreat on these issues could not be passed over the in the same way Usdaw’s leadership bodies have previously.
After writing to Keir Starmer earlier this year, Usdaw General Secretary Joanne Thomas has now written to Labour MPs asking them to oppose proposals to water down minimum hours guarantees. She goes on to state: “If the outcome of the consultation breaks the commitment made in Labour’s 2024 manifesto, Usdaw will write to you again to ask that you oppose the delegated legislation on the grounds that it will make working people worse off.”
Labour affiliated trade unions, including Usdaw, are petitioning their own Labour government to fully implement a key election pledge!
Since then, reports have emerged of the government backing off from its commitment to equalise youth rates of the minimum wage.
Usdaw has been forced to criticise the government again: “We are deeply concerned by voices within the government suggesting that Labour’s manifesto commitment to end minimum wage rip-off youth rates should not be delivered in full”, Thomas said.
It is an important achievement that Usdaw has in effect abolished lower youth rates of pay in the big-four supermarket chains it organises in.
We would argue Usdaw should go beyond the correct call for MPs to vote against delegated legislation if it undermines workers, and say that such cuts should be a touchstone for membership of the union’s parliamentary group.
Why should any MP be a member if they cannot commit to basic policies that have been at the forefront of the union’s campaigning for over a decade?
Usdaw Activist editorial board
- A full version of the article available online: usdawactivist.wordpress.com
