The Government's new workers' rights reforms will make the UK
more competitive through increasing productivity, Employment
Rights Minister set out when he met global
leaders in Geneva today.
Speaking at the International Labour Conference, he explained the
key role Make Work Pay will play in generating inclusive growth,
putting money back into the pockets of working people and
boosting living standards as part of the Plan for Change.
A strong package of workers' rights and protections for people at
work go hand in hand with a strong economy, giving people more
certainty over the hours they are working and what their wages
will be, so they can have more confidence to spend on our high
streets and in small businesses.
By taking this action to improve productivity through tackling
insecurity and low pay, the Employment Rights Bill will help the
UK catch up with more productive economies such as France and
Germany, where stronger employment rights have gone hand-in-hand
with economic success.
Employment Rights Minister said:
After years of playing catch up with our closest neighbours, our
Plan for Change will see tens of millions of workers across the
UK finally get the boost in living standards and protections that
their hard work deserves.
Whether it be day one protections against unfair dismissal, the
right to guaranteed hours or making flexible working the default,
the Employment Rights Bill is putting money straight back into
the pockets of working people.
We want to make the UK the world's best place to work, and
delivering real change for workers will help solve the UK's
productivity puzzle and get our economy growing once again.
During the conference, the Minister held discussions with
ministers from a wide variety of countries to gain insights into
how they have grappled with complex issues facing labour markets,
including how to implement employment rights reforms that support
and balance the needs of workers and businesses.
Leaders he met with included United States Deputy Labour
Secretary Keith Sonderling; Luiz Marinho, Minister of Labour and
Employment of Brazil; Sandra Hassan, Deputy Minister for Labour
in Canada; Yiannis Panayiotou, Minister of Labour and Social
Insurance of Cyprus; and Gilbert Houngbo, Director General of the
International Labour Organization.
The UK Government's flagship Employment Rights Bill will provide
the biggest upgrade in employment rights for a generation,
banning unfair practices like exploitative zero-hours contracts
to deliver more security for working people, whilst also
providing day one protections against unfair treatment and
unscrupulous fire and rehire tactics as well as extending rights
to sick pay.
Nearly 75% of the UK public back policies in the Employment
Rights Bill, which is why this Government is going further and
faster to deliver the change so that everyone in the UK feels the
reward of their hard work and can aspire for a better quality of
life.
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