Labour set to water down workers' rights pledges in latest U-turn

LABOUR leader Keir Starmer is set to unveil a weakened package of workers’ rights in the coming weeks as shadow ministers discuss how to tone down some previous pledges.

A long list of employment policies including ending employers’ use of “fire and rehire” and higher sick pay were due to be included in Labour’s manifesto as part of its “New Deal for Working People”.

But according to the Financial Times, shadow ministers are keen to ease business chiefs’ misgivings and are holding talks on how to water down some of the pledges.

This reported U-turn would be the latest in a long line for Labour, including their ditching of plans to spend £28 billion on green infrastructure.

The leader of the Scottish Trade Union Congress Roz Foyer warned Starmer in March he “must not U-turn” on the New Deal for Working People as she insisted trade unionists would “keep the pressure on”.

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People familiar with the matter have said the finessed package of measures is set to be published in the coming weeks.

“The whole tone of everything they’ve been saying on workers’ rights has been attempting to be constructive compared to a couple of months ago,” said one lobbyist.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar posted a video for International Workers' Day on Twitter/X on Wednesday saying: "A Labour government will always be on the side of working people across Scotland and the UK."

One business leader told the FT that after several meetings with the party, they were now “pretty relaxed” about its plans.

Shadow ministers are set to hold a meeting with union general secretaries in the coming weeks to seek approval for the new version of pledges, according to Labour figures.

A Labour spokesperson said the New Deal would remain a “core part of Labour’s offer to the country” at the General Election.

“Our commitments to bring forward legislation to parliament within 100 days to deliver the New Deal and to consult widely on implementation have not changed,” they said.

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People familiar with the updated version of the programme have said it would include a promise to consult on its plan to create a “single status” for all workers except those who are genuinely self-employed.

There is also set to be a review of parental leave within the first year of a Labour government, they told the paper.

Sources have also said Labour will clarify that their promised ban on zero-hour contracts will be a right to a contract reflecting a workers’ regular work pattern over the previous 12 weeks.

The SNP have said Starmer's decision to U-turn on his party's flagship workers' rights policies is a "betrayal".

MP Chris Stephens has warned that Labour have shown their "true colours" on how important workers' rights are to them.

He said: "Despite campaigning across these isles, telling voters that Labour will offer real change to workers' rights, Sir Keir's Labour Party are willing to abandon those promises for a chance at power.

"And to do so on International Workers' Day tells you everything you need to know about the party that once stood up for workers across these isles.

"With each passing day, it's clear that Sir Keir Starmer has no idea what he wants to do with the power he so desperately seeks.

“He would rather leave Scotland under Westminster control, and at the mercy of Tory attacks on workers' rights, than give Scotland's national parliament the full powers over its own affairs."