Labour's deputy leader, Angela Rayner, announced at the TUC annual conference on 12 September that Labour would introduce an Employment Rights Bill within the first 100 days of entering office.
She stated that Labour would repeal the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 and the Trade Unions Act 2016. Trade unions will be given a new right to access workplaces, allowing them to meet, represent, recruit and organise members and the statutory recognition process will be simplified so that gig economy and remote workers can meaningfully organise through trade unions. There will also be a boost to collective bargaining, starting with fair pay agreements in the adult social care sector.
Measures will be put in place in relation to blacklisting. Updating regulations will outlaw the use of predictive technology for blacklisting and safeguard against singling out workers for mistreatment or dismissal without any evidence of union interaction. Third parties will be made liable for blacklisting carried out on behalf of employers, and employment tribunals will be given the power to order destruction of lists, whether digital or otherwise.
Labour has also committed to banning zero-hours contracts, bringing in a "proper living wage", and ending 'fire and rehire' practices. They will also support family-friendly working and strengthen sick pay, making it available to all workers (including the lowest earners) from day one. Finally, Angela Rayner referred to Labour's intention to end the gender pay gap faster, address unequal pay, tackle sexual harassment at work and put mental health on a par with physical health.
