Starmer Scraps Workers’ Rights Reforms Championed by Rayner
Keir Starmer has abandoned workers’ rights reforms championed by Angela Rayner that would allow workers to sue for unfair dismissal on day one of their employment following a business backlash. The Telegraph has more.
In a major watering down of Angela Rayner’s workers’ rights legislation, employees will have to wait for six months before being able to take their bosses to court.
Business leaders and even Left-wing think tanks had warned it could impose major burdens on companies.
The about-turn was announced a day after the Budget by the Department for Business and Trade after meetings with union and business leaders. It followed a series of Government defeats in the House of Lords.
The Government said workers would still receive day-one rights to sick pay and paternity leave in April 2026 as planned. But employees will have to wait six months before being able to sue for unfair dismissal, down from the current 24 months.
Day-one protection for discrimination will remain part of the legislation.
Andrew Griffith, the Shadow Business Secretary, said: “This U-turn on a Labour flagship bill is a Conservative victory and will come as an enormous relief to business. But this is just one element of this rushed 330-page, job-killing legislation.
“It doesn’t change the fact the Bill is still not fit-for-purpose, nor does it change the fact it will give Unions the ‘Right to Roam’ into private businesses, ban banter in pubs or end flexible working.”
Just breadcrumbs, really then: most of the monster is left unscathed.
Worth reading in full.
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Given that nobody will be recruiting any longer Kneel has nothing to fret about. If he ever did.
Many businesses will be reverse recruiting…if they are still in business. Expect a lot of businesses to fail next year in the first 2 quarters. January may well unlease pent up price rises once Christmas is gone and what Rache the Incompetent delivers with minumum wage, her inflation takes with the other.
And nobody will be going to pubs either.
Starmtrooper has never run a business. This bill is profoundly anti-business and militates against entrepreneurs as well as large corps. There is an existing mountain of legal protection for workers.
Does he feel stronger after the budget or more vulnerable? Upsetting Big Ange because he can or so desperate he has to risk her wrath?
I think he is still ‘well protected’. Did any other sceptics notice that Kemi was able to deliver a speech to crush Rachel but not able to land any blows on KS at the weekly PMQs. Uniparties ??
I thought the old way of working for six months, and then employer and employee could decide was quite good. It worked well!
I used to offer a contract which only became a full contract after provisional 3 month period. It worked well.
France has similar employee Rights. Businesses responded by not employing people without proven employment record, ie young people. Overall unemployment about 10%, 16 to 25 age group, 26%.
Some businesses offer 11 month contracts – under twelve months the regulations don’t apply. Such a contract can only be renewed once.
This leaves workers with no job security, knowing they will have to keep finding new employment every few months until someone takes them on with a full contract.