Attempts to ‘undermine’ strengthening of workers’ rights rejected by MPs

Attempts to “undermine” the Government’s plans to strengthen workers’ rights have been rejected by MPs.

A bid by peers to water down day one protection from unfair dismissal in the Employment Rights Bill was among those thrown out by MPs on Monday.

Concerns over a weakening of the legislation had been raised by unions following Angela Rayner’s departure as deputy prime minister.

In the Commons, Business Secretary Peter Kyle urged members to reject amendments put forward by Conservative and Liberal Democrat peers which he said would “undermine the progress that we are attempting to make”.

“This is a landmark Bill. It is pro-worker and pro-business, which supports the Government’s objectives to boost growth and improve living standards across the country,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Tories argued the Bill could make employers less likely to take a chance on young employees, or those with disabilities.

The Government accepted an amendment to ban non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in cases of harassment and discrimination, following a campaign by Labour former minister Louise Haigh.

“The new clause will allow workers to speak freely about their experiences and allow those who have witnessed misconduct or have knowledge of it, to call it out by avoiding NDAs which have been used to try and silence victims,” Mr Kyle said.

A proposed extension of bereavement leave to those who have had a miscarriage was also added to the Bill.

Currently employees are eligible for statutory parental bereavement leave and pay if there is a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy.

The Women and Equalities Committee, which is chaired by Labour MP Sarah Owen, had recommended the two-week leave period should also be made available to those bereaved as a result of pre-24 week loss.

Ms Owen, who spoke of her own experience of miscarriage, said there is “no sliding scale on pain”.

“Grieving parents, because of this change, will no longer need to push through their pain to carry on working, and women who experience baby loss will not need to use sick leave, which implies that their body has something wrong with it,” the Luton North MP added.

Under the Bill’s proposals, employees will also have the right to bereavement leave from day one of any job.

Mr Kyle said: “Bereavement is not an illness or a holiday, and it needs its own special category.”

An amendment which would allow employees to claim unfair dismissal after six months of employment was rejected by 329 votes to 163, majority 166.

The current threshold is two years, but the Bill proposes day one rights for employees.

MPs also rejected an amendment which would place the burden on employees to ask for guaranteed hours, by voting 326 to 160, majority 166.

Conservative shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith argued the Bill could lead to more young people being without a job.

He said: “Those opposite often like to cast themselves as the party of social mobility, but the reality is, if you remove probation periods, the chance for an employer to take a chance on somebody, you will kill social mobility.”

Mr Griffith added: “What’s going to happen is that businesses will be discouraged from hiring anybody without a perfect CV, anyone without a proven track record of work.

“Who are we talking about? We are talking about young people, we’re talking about people with conditions such as dyslexia and we’re talking about those who’ve got a period of inactivity in their CVs, people such as former prisoners seeking a second chance to go straight.”