The Fire Brigades Union is calling for the government to stand firm and deliver the Employment Rights Bill in full, following reports of talks with businesses seeking to water down new workers rights.
The union says any watering down of the bill would be a "betrayal" of Labour's popular manifesto promise, and calls for Starmer to go further in strengthening workers rights with a second bill.
Fire Brigades Union general secretary Steve Wright said:
Ditching any part of the Employment Rights Bill would be a disaster for the Labour government and Keir Starmer as Prime Minister.
Extending workers' rights is easily the government's most popular policy. Workers suffered nearly 15 years of attacks on their wages and conditions under Tory rule. Labour was elected on a firm commitment to reverse that.
Any watering down of this legislation under pressure from big business and corporate lobbyists would be a clear betrayal of Labour’s manifesto promise and a signal that the interests of boardrooms are being put before the rights of working people.
In the wake of last week's disastrous by-election defeat and dire opinion poll ratings for Labour, it's vital that the Employment Rights Bill is delivered in full. The Prime Minister must then go even further by passing an 'Employment Rights Bill 2' later in this parliament.
Meanwhile, the Chancellor must announce a substantial increase in workers' pay in next month's Budget, including a generous increase in the living wage."
