The newly elected Fire Brigades Union general secretary has warned Rachel Reeves against invoking Thatcher, calling for the government to deliver manifesto commitments to workers’ rights in full.
Speaking to the Independent, Steve Wright said:
The FBU welcomes the Chancellor's assurance that there will be no scaling back of the Labour government's employment rights legislation.
However, it was concerning to see the Prime Minister use a media intervention about the government’s growth plans to invoke the policies of the Thatcher government.
The FBU was at the forefront of the fight back against Thatcher's attacks on workers' rights and jobs, all of which were continued by successive Tory governments up until and including that led by Rishi Sunak.
The full and swift delivery of the Labour government's employment rights Bill is critical to growing the economy.
A properly paid workforce that is better protected against unfair dismissal and has more secure employment is critical to delivering greater growth.
With the Bill due to pass through parliament in a matter of weeks, the government must ensure the legislation on workers' rights is in place much faster than the planned timeframe of autumn 2026.
The ban on exploitative zero-hour contacts and additional protection against unfair dismissal must come into force by this summer at the very latest.
However, the full delivery of the Labour manifesto commitment on workers' rights must be reflected in substantial pay rises for firefighters and all other workers.
The statutory living wage must also be increased to well over £15 per hour by the time the employment rights bill becomes law.
The Labour government will only achieve its ambitious growth plans if it acts swiftly to place more money in the pockets of workers in secure jobs.”
