Unite: MPs and unions get behind Bill for fair deal on redundancy pay

Wednesday, 4 February 2009 12:00 AM

Pressure to bring redundancy pay into line with the real cost of living will mount this week with the launch of Lindsay Hoyle MP's private member's bill to lift the cap on the amount a worker is entitled to when he or she loses their job.

The Statutory Redundancy (Amendment) Bill is seeking to bring redundancy pay into line with average weekly earnings - it is currently capped at £350 per week, just 56% of average earnings.

The bill, which has cross-party support in the Commons, is set for its second reading in the Commons on 13th March, 2009. Lindsay Hoyle is calling for MPs to be in the chamber that day to back the bill and help speed it into law before the summer.

The Bill is also supported by unions whose members are being hit hard during the economic downturn, and reflects long-standing concerns that UK workers are too cheap to sack, often thrown on the dole with only a pittance while workers in competitor economies hang onto their jobs. Unions believe uprating redundancy pay should encourage employers to do more to keep workers in jobs during the downturn.

Mr Hoyle will officially launch his Bill campaign this Thursday, February 5th in the Commons. He will be joined by his MP co-sponsors and the chair of the Trade Union Liaison Organisation (TULO), Tony Woodley, who is also joint general secretary of Unite.

"All I am calling for is a fair deal during hard times. Redundancy pay in this country is among the lowest in Europe and this hits the working poor especially hard," said Lindsay Hoyle MP.

"Just take the workers from Woolworths - many of them were thrown onto the dole with only a pittance to show for their years of loyal service. Bringing the level of redundancy pay into line with average earnings will not only help workers plunged into unemployment make ends meet, it may also make employers think twice about putting people out of work in the first place."

The full text of the Bill will be published ahead of the Commons second reading on Friday, March 13th.

ENDS

For further information about the launch, please contact Pauline Doyle, Unite head of media and campaigns, on 07976 832 861.

Notes: The Bill is backed by the following unions: Unite, Usdaw, Unison, Ucatt, the GMB, Community, Aslef, the CWU, TSSA and the TUC.

Tags: