While the Labour leadership resorted to conference agenda shenanigans against trade union attempts to condemn the new government’s cut to winter fuel payments, other battles are rumbling. Talks have been reported between union representatives and the Labour Party that they fund over attempts to water down workers’ rights reforms. It has been reported that, instead of the previously pledged rights from day one of employment, workers will have six months’ probation with the threat of being more easily sacked hanging over their heads. Under pressure from big business, that it is striving to represent the interests of, the Labour government is trying to protect their profits based on exploiting workers, without a union backlash.
The Socialist Party fights for union action for the removal of all anti-union laws, for working-class control and management of our workplaces and a mass party that represents our interests not the bosses. Here Socialist Party members respond to some of the pro-business U-turns that could make it into the new Workers’ Rights Bill that gets presented to Parliament.
‘Fire and rehire’ – one rule for the bosses, another for the rest of us.
Scott Hunter, Swindon Socialist Party
When workers sign an employment contract, we’re expected to abide by all the terms. But, if the bosses feel they can get away with it, they’re quite happy to break the rules. With ‘fire and rehire’ bosses not only try to attack our pay and conditions, we have to go through the humiliating ritual of reapplying for our jobs and the anxiety and uncertainty that comes with it.
Labour promised before the election to end fire and rehire as part of a package of improvements to workers’ legal rights. As part of his campaign to show that the Labour Party is safe for big business, Keir Starmer has already rowed back on a complete ban – proposing the practice is banned apart from ‘very limited circumstances’. For example, Labour may permit it if a business is facing bankruptcy.
But how can the bosses prepared to slash workers’ pay, terms and conditions be trusted? Companies must be made to open the books to workers and trade union inspection, to see where the money has really gone. Bosses taking fat pay packets and monster dividends should be made to pay, not workers.
Unite the Union’s general secretary Sharon Graham already criticised Labour’s plans in the run-up to the general election as having “more holes than Swiss cheese”. We shouldn’t forget either that Tower Hamlets Council under Labour control shamelessly fired and rehired thousands of its own workers in 2020.
The bosses want to keep us in our place and remind us they hold our livelihoods in their hands. If the ban on fire and rehire becomes law, it should be workers who decide what limited circumstances should mean it is allowed – none! And to enforce that will need collective working-class action and trade union struggle.
How can you have a non-exploitative zero-hours contract?
John Williams, Cardiff East Socialist Party
Ever since Starmer said, if elected, his government would deliver a new deal for workers, all we’ve heard about is U-turns and get-out clauses for big business. Now it’s the turn for zero-hour contracts.
Labour ministers have been wrangling with trade union representatives to avoid a clash at Labour Party conference. The ban has been softened to banning ‘exploitative’ zero-hour contracts and workers will be able to choose a zero-hour contract if they wish.
It should be the workers and their trade unions who decide what is exploitative. Workers are exploited all the time: on low pay, bad managers on their back, and there’s no sign of capitalism suddenly getting a conscience and allowing workers to define what’s ‘exploitative’ so they get a better deal.
This get-out clause would be an open door for businesses to force workers into carrying on signing zero-hour contracts with no improvements. Far away from the golden age of workers’ rights we were promised! Workers already are pressured not to take breaks and holidays they are entitled to under pressure from bosses. The Trades Union Congress found that over 1.1 million employees didn’t take a single day of the 28 days paid holiday they were entitle to last year.
The backtracks on workers’ rights expose the power of lobbying from the capitalist class on Starmer’s Labour leadership, which is more than pleased to give in! Contrary to what Labour says, there isn’t a partnership between workers and the capitalist class – their interests are completely opposed to each other. Any worker will tell you that. All it takes is looking at your payslip and the profit sheets of the company to see the ‘partnership’ in action. Workers’ rights and pay clash directly with the bosses’ needs to maximise profit.
Unions must fight for a real ban, and other legal rights too. But legislation on its own isn’t enough, unless it’s backed by workers’ control and input and the willingness of trade unions to fight. To ban zero-hour contracts with no loss of pay, we need fighting unions. And we need a mass party that will fight for the rights of workers against the bosses – because Starmer’s Labour certainly isn’t.
