• Working people “will have been conned” if ministers renege on promise to bring forward the employment bill – warns union body
• TUC head demands urgent assurances from ministers in wake of P&O scandal
• Frances O’Grady says the government will “side with bad bosses” if fails to legislate new workplace protections

The TUC has today (Monday) demanded the government “come clean” over its plans for workers’ rights.

Reports over the weekend claim that ministers are going to drop the long-awaited employment bill from next month’s Queen’s Speech.

This would be the second year in succession that legislation to enhance workplace protections has been shelved – despite repeated government promises that an employment bill would be forthcoming.

Writing to Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady warned today:

“If the government ditches the employment bill it will be sending a green light to rogue employers to treat staff like disposable labour.

“After the scandalous events at P&O, which have exposed gaping holes in UK employment law, the need for new legislation has never been clearer or more urgent.

“There is no excuse for delay. If the government breaks its promise to enhance workers’ rights working people will have been conned and betrayed.

“It’s vital ministers come clean about their plans. In the wake of P&O the government can stand on the side of workers and legislate new protections. Or it can side with bad bosses and abandon its long overdue employment bill.

“But let’s be crystal clear – without new laws to protect people at work there is nothing stopping P&O type scandals from happening again in the future.

“And the use of exploitative practices like fire and rehire and zero-hours contracts will continue to soar.

“Tinkering around the edges with feeble statutory codes is not going to rein in unscrupulous employers. We need proper legislation for that.”

The union body highlighted how the government has given repeated assurances that it would legislate new workplace protections:

• In May 2019 the government said it would bring forward the employment bill to “protect and enhance workers’ rights as the UK leaves the EU, making Britain the best place in the world to work.”
• In December 2019 a spokesman for the Prime Minister insisted that the promises on workers’ rights will be contained in a new employment bill.
• In May 2021, business minister Paul Scully spoke of his and the Secretary of State’s “absolute commitment” to an employment bill.
• In June 2021, minister Paul Scully reaffirmed the government’s commitment to “bring the Employment Bill through”.
• In June 2021 the government promised it would ‘take action against big brands that turn a blind eye to labour abuses‘ in a press release that announced the establishment of a single enforcement agency.
• In September 2021 the government promised to ‘tackle shameful tipping practices and ensure all tips go to workers’ – again through new legislation.

The TUC says urgent action is needed to tackle Britain’s “insecure work epidemic”.

The union body estimates that one in nine workers – or 3.6 million people – are in insecure work including more than 1 million on zero-hours contracts.

And separate TUC research has revealed that the size of the gig economy workforce in England and Wales has almost tripled in the past five years.