Employment Rights Bill 'groundbreaking first step'

GMB Union has described the Employment Rights Bill, set to be published today [Thursday] as a 'groundbreaking first step' for workers' rights.

Gary Smith, GMB General Secretary, said:

"This is a significant and groundbreaking first step to giving workers the rights they've been denied for so long.

"Fourteen years of Conservative rule has seen squeezed pay packets and attacks on working people and their unions; this bill is hugely welcome.

"Fair Pay Agreements for carers, reinstating the School Support Staff Negotiating Body, repealing anti-union legislation and a raft of other rights for workers will make a huge difference to the lives of GMB members and are popular across the country.

"But there is long way to go. The Government won a huge mandate for the New Deal, now they must make sure unions and workers are front and centre of the detailed discussions needed to deliver it.

"The legislation must be watertight and without loopholes that could be used by those wanting to delay the rights workers so desperately need.”