WIREDGOV

The TUC is today (Friday) calling on Theresa May to sign up to stronger protections for workers at the EU Social Summit for Fair Jobs and Growth that she is attending in Gothenburg.

Soon after taking office, the Prime Minister promised to ‘maintain, protect and enhance’ workers’ rights.

EU leaders are being asked by the social summit host, Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, to sign up to enhanced rights for workers.

The ‘European Pillar of Social Rights’ includes new guaranteed rights to paid parental leave, and new protections for gig economy and zero-hours contract workers. And it commits to principles focused on fair working conditions, including adequate minimum wages, work-life balance, and the right for workers to have a say in decisions that affect their employment.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

“Theresa May broke her promise to working people this week when she instructed her MPs to vote against protections for workers’ rights after we leave the EU.

“The Prime Minister must now take steps to win back workers’ trust by signing up to stronger rights for UK workers at the summit in Gothenburg.

“She must reassure working people that a level playing field for workers’ rights will be written into the Brexit deal. Britain’s workers must not be left to fall behind the rest of Europe when future improvements are made.”

Editors note

• The Prime Minister Theresa May told the Conservative Party Conference in October 2016: “Let me be absolutely clear: existing workers’ legal rights will continue to be guaranteed in law – and they will be guaranteed as long as I am Prime Minister.  And in fact, as we announced yesterday, under this Government, we’re going see workers’ rights not eroded, and not just protected, but enhanced under this Government.” (full speech is here: http://press.conservatives.com/post/151239411635/prime-minister-britain-after-brexit-a-vision-of)
• On Wednesday evening this week, the government defeated Labour’s new clause 58 for the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill by 311 votes to 299. The new clause would have ensured that employment rights derived from EU law could only be changed by primary legislation, or legislation under the bill itself.
• More information on the EU Social Summit for Fair Jobs and Growth is here: www.socialsummit17.se/
• More information on the European Pillar of Social Rights is here: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/priorities/deeper-and-fairer-economic-and-monetary-union/european-pillar-social-rights_en
• The Trades Union Congress (TUC) exists to make the working world a better place for everyone. We bring together more than 5.6 million working people who make up our 50 member unions. We support unions to grow and thrive, and we stand up for everyone who works for a living.