The Labour government is expected to deliver its first King's Speech on Wednesday. Fire Brigades Union leader Matt Wrack has said that it must contain 'oven ready' legislation to deliver workers' rights, including the repeal of recent anti-union laws passed under the Tories.
Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said:
"It's vital that the King's speech contains substantial and 'oven ready' legislation to deliver Labour's New Deal for Working People. Words alone are not enough.
"Working people rightly expect Keir Starmer to use the King's speech to clearly map out a specific timescale for fulfiling the manifesto commitment and repeated promises made ahead of the General Election on workers' rights.
"It's crucial that this includes passing legislation to repeal the authoritarian and undemocratic Minimum Service Levels Act and the 2016 Trade Act, which severely limit the rights of workers to take industrial action in defence of public services and pay even when they have a democratic mandate to strike.
"Unions have been working with Labour officials and shadow ministers for years to prepare the New Deal for Working people ahead of Labour entering office. There is no reason for delay. Labour must use its massive Commons majority to get these pernicious laws off the statute book quickly."
