In his speech to the TUC congress on Tuesday, Labour’s Shadow
Chancellor MP will say the Tories have
stripped back employment rights to a level not seen since the
economic depression of the 1930s.
will use his keynote address
to delegates to set out Labour's plans to forge a new workplace
environment.
The Shadow Chancellor will pledge that Labour will "restore the
balance of power in the workplace".
In his speech to the TUC, is expected to say:
"The role of Conservative governments throughout history has been
to restrict and restrain the rights and influence of workers to
maximise the profits of the companies that so generously fund
their party. It’s a straight quid pro quo.
“The Conservatives try to dress it up as securing some form of
balance of power between workers and employers, but few today can
argue that the balance hasn’t been overwhelmingly tipped against
workers.
“Cumulative legislative assaults on trade union freedoms have
seriously weakened the ability of trade unions to negotiate
effectively on behalf of their members. The result is that for
the first time shareholders now take a greater share of national
income than workers.
“The massive growth in zero hours contracts and the gig economy
have produced a workplace environment of insecurity not seen
since the 1930s. The decline of collective bargaining has meant
that workers also now have little say over the key decisions
taken by their employers over the future of their companies.
“Labour’s programme of workplace reform will restore the balance
between employer and worker with a significant extension of trade
union rights, modernising corporate governance structures and
extending the opportunity for employees to share collectively in
the benefits of ownership of their company.
“Labour’s common sense approach will forge a new workplace
environment best suited to meeting the challenges of Britain’s
ongoing low productivity and the emerging fourth industrial
revolution."
Ends
Notes to editors
MP will address the
150th Trades Union Congress in Manchester on
Tuesday afternoon.
