The Labour government’s plans to improve workers’ rights and end years of stagnating wages, insecure jobs and in-work poverty are full of ambiguities and lack crucial detail, a leading thinktank on the future of work has concluded.
Overall, the report by the Autonomy Institute is behind the government’s plans and expect they will play a key role in Keir Starmer’s mission to drive up economic growth. However, their doubts are that “questions remain over many crucial details of the programme” and that “it will need to go further if it wishes to truly represent a meaningful agenda for reform”.
In a shot across Labour’s bows not to U-Turn or an expression of support (or both), the Autonomy Institute (which promotes a fairer and more democratic economy) are requesting that all the core commitments that Labour made in the run-up to the general election must be delivered “in full without any more rollbacks” when the employment right’s bill is published later this year.
The report, timed so that is published before (big Labour supporter) the TUC’s annual meeting next month and the party conference season, echoes the fears of many groups representing working people and the main unions, that Labour may renege on some of its promises after being heavily lobbied by business leaders fearful that its agenda will increase employment costs.
The report includes new polling by Survation of 2,074 adults that shows only 24% of people believe all Labour’s proposals will be implemented, while 76% think some of them will be introduced.
Raising the minimum wage to a real living wage (£12 an hour outside London and £13.15 inside the capital) was ranked as the best element of the overall Labour package by 39% of respondents. Tackling insecure contracts was ranked top by 21% of those polled, while the “right to switch off” and not be contacted by employers out of work hours was the No 1 priority for 20%.
Among plans not included in Labour’s proposals, raising statutory sick pay to levels comparable with other similar nations and shortening the working week to 32 hours with no loss of pay were the most popular ideas (who’d have thought working fewer hours for the same money would be popular?)
The Autonomy Institute also want to see more detail in the employment right’s bill, which the government has said will be introduced in its first 100 days in office – today (Thursday 29 August) is day 55 since the King invited Sir Keir to form a government.
Will Stronge, director of research at the Autonomy Institute, said: “Ambiguities in some of Labour’s proposals to improve workers’ rights leave uncertainty over the scope or effectiveness of the programme as a whole. To ensure workers benefit, the new deal for working people must be delivered in full and without any more rollbacks when the employment right’s bill is published later this year.”
A government spokesperson replied “Our imminent employment rights bill will deliver the biggest upgrade to rights at work for a generation and is a vital step in the delivery of the Make Work Pay plan. Work is also underway to identify ways to swiftly deliver measures through other mechanisms.”
