and launch Labour’s campaign for a new deal for working
people today (Monday), pledging to “fundamentally change our
economy” to make Britain work for working people.
Rayner, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for the Future of
Work, will kick off the campaign with a visit to a social
enterprise in London today (Monday). She will set out Labour’s
vision for post-pandemic Britain where people in every part of
the country can access good quality jobs that are a “source of
pride, security and dignity” and pay a “proper wage that people
can raise a family on”.
Ahead of the launch, Starmer has pledged to make Britain “the
best place to work” after a decade of Conservative failure which
has seen family incomes stagnating, more than 3.6 million people
now in insecure work, and in-work poverty at a record high – with
one in six working families in poverty. Contrasting “remote”
political debates with the real economy experienced by working
people, the Labour leader argues “our economy is just the sum
total of the work of the British people. If we create good work
for everyone, we all benefit.”
Over the summer, Rayner, Starmer and other members of the Shadow
Cabinet will be setting out Labour’s new deal for working people
based on five principles of good work:
Security at work – Better and fairer workplaces
by giving workers full rights from day one on the job; outlawing
fire and rehire; a new right to work flexibly; and strengthened
trade unions.
Quality jobs – a strong Industrial Strategy that
uses government contracts to support British businesses so we
buy, make and sell more in Britain, delivering investment in
high-quality, well-paid green jobs in the industries of the
future.
A fairer economy – a fair and level playing
field on tax between the multinational giants and local
businesses on the high street; and tackling harassment and
discrimination at work so everyone can get on.
Opportunity for all – A jobs-promise for young
people with a guarantee of quality education, training or
employment; and create tens of thousands of apprenticeships by
ending the Treasury raid of the apprenticeship levy.
Work that pays – Make sure that work pays paid
wages that people can raise a family on with a real living wage
of at least £10 an hour; and more workers covered by collectively
agreed deals which boost pay.
, Leader of the Labour Party, said:
“The pandemic has exposed the fact that millions of workers don’t
have the dignity and security they deserve from their job.
“Labour has fought for workers and supported good businesses
during this crisis. Now, as we emerge, we need a new deal for
working people. My mum was a nurse, and my dad was a toolmaker.
So I know full-well the importance of a secure job and a decent
wage.
“It often feels remote when politicians talk about this thing
called the economy. But our economy is just the sum total of the
work of the British people. If we create good work for everyone,
we will all benefit. With Labour, we can make Britain the best
place to work.”
, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow
Secretary of State for the Future of Work, said:
“We are at a fork in the road, and as we recover from the
pandemic we need to take this opportunity to deliver a new deal
for working people.
“Under the Conservatives we have a broken economic model defined
by insecure work, low wages and in-work poverty, and a lack of
opportunity for people who want to get on and find good work to
support themselves and their families.
“Labour’s new deal for working people will fundamentally change
our economy to make it work for working people and build a
Britain where people in every part of our country can get good
quality jobs that are a source of pride, security and dignity and
pay a proper wage that people can raise a family on.”
ENDS
Notes:
ONS figures show that average real-terms household income in the
last 10 years has remained stagnant or have reduced.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/articles/supplementaryanalysisofaverageweeklyearnings/august2018
TUC research has found that one in nine UK workers – 3.6 million
people – have no pay or job security, and the pandemic threatens
to push the level of insecure work even higher. The research
found that nearly three-quarters of people on zero-hours
contracts reported losing out on shifts during the pandemic –
meaning a loss of income. https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-calls-government-finally-deliver-workers-rights-after-repeated-failures-four-years
‘Solo’ self-employment has risen dramatically in the UK to now
stand at more than 14% of workers now classified as solo
self-employed.
https://ifs.org.uk/publications/15182
https://ifs.org.uk/publications/15182
The number of working households living in relative poverty hit a
record high just before the pandemic. Research from IPPR found
that more than one in six working households – or 17.4 per cent –
living in poverty.
https://www.ippr.org/files/2021-05/no-longer-managing-may21.pdf
Relative child poverty has risen for four consecutive years and
now stands at over 4.2 million.
https://cpag.org.uk/news-blogs/news-listings/child-poverty-continues-rise-pandemic-response-falls-short-families
