UK Government to redirect vast HS2 savings into unprecedented transport investment across the country, benefiting more people, in more places, more quickly.
Scotland to benefit from funding to enable better links between the Cairnryan ferry terminals serving Northern Ireland and South West Scotland.
A total of £36 billion in savings from HS2 will be reinvested in hundreds of transport projects across the UK.
Network North will build better connectivity across the North and Midlands, with faster journey times, increased capacity, and more frequent, reliable services, according to the Westminster government.
And connections will also be strengthened across the United Kingdom, following recommendations made in the Union Connectivity Review.
Scotland will benefit from funding to solve the pinch points on the A75 between Gretna and Stranraer, providing better links between the Cairnryan ferry terminals serving Northern Ireland and southwest Scotland – recognising the importance of east-west connectivity within the UK.
The move comes alongside further investment in the connections with the M6 and Cumbria, and the A77 towards Glasgow.
Successive governments have promised it, but we ( the UK Government) are delivering long-awaited upgrades to the A1 coastal route between Newcastle and Berwick-upon-Tweed, improving the route to Edinburgh and strengthening transport links between Scotland and England.
We will continue to work with the Scottish Government to deliver the benefits of this investment package and improve connectivity across the country.
TUC slams Conservatives’ decision to axe northern leg of HS2 as a “huge act of levelling down”
Commenting on the prime minister’s speech to Conservative Party Conference, TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “The Tories have broken Britain. Today the Prime Minister confirmed what everybody already knew – he has neither a plan or vision for fixing it.
“Whether it’s failing to deliver HS2, presiding over the longest pay squeeze in modern history or record hospital waiting lists – the Conservatives’ record in government has been dire.
“We urgently need political change. The country cannot afford the Tories for one day longer. It’s time for a general election.”
Commenting on the decision to axe the northern leg of HS2, Paul said: “This a huge act of levelling down – however Rishi Sunak tries to spin it.
“The northern leg of HS2 would have created thousands of good jobs and boosted growth across the North and the Midlands.
“But these economic benefits have been squandered by the Conservatives’ gross incompetence. This failure is on them and them alone.
“The public will be rightly sceptical about more promises on transport investment for the north and the Midlands. Who can trust the Tories to deliver on anything?”
“It’s only right that the wealthiest pay their fair share”
Wealthiest “feathering their nests” while working people suffer the worst pay crisis for two centuries
NEW POLLING reveals significant cross-voter support for increasing taxes on wealth and excess profits, as the TUC general secretary renews call for a national conversation on tax
3 in 4 think capital gains should be taxed at the same or higher than income tax – including 73% of Conservative 2019 voters
TUC calls for a new deal for workers to help tackle the boom in insecure work, stagnant wages and attacks on workers’ rights.
The TUC has declared that “we must put an end to the grotesque inequality of the Tory era”.Ahead of its annual Congress in Liverpool this weekend, the TUC says the Conservatives have allowed Britain’s wealthiest to “feather their nests” while working people have suffered the worst pay crisis for two centuries.
The union body adds that the Conservatives have delivered a “broken economic model which rewards wealth, not work”.
With “living standards plummeting, public services on their knees, and rampant wealth inequality blighting every corner of the country”, the union body says fair taxation must be a key part of a wider set of policies to help “reset the economy to work for working people”.
The TUC is renewing its call for a “national conversation on taxing wealth and windfalls” to help build a fairer society and “fix broken Britain”.
Significant support for fairer tax
The call comes as the union body publishes new polling, conducted by Opinium, which shows significant cross-party support for increasing taxes on wealth and excess profits.
A clear majority (61%) of the public think wealthy people should pay more tax than they are now – including over half (53%) of Conservative voters in the 2019 general election.
Only 4% of the public think wealthy people should pay less tax.
There is significant backing for increasing capital gains tax too.
Around 3 in 4 (72%) think capital gains should be taxed at the same or higher than income tax – including 73% of Conservative 2019 voters.
There was also huge support across the board for windfall taxes on excess profits:
Three quarters (75%) of the public support a windfall tax on banks’ excess profits – including 76% of Conservative 2019 voters
4 in 5 (80%) support a windfall tax on energy companies’ profits – including 81% of Conservative 2019 voters
7 in 10 (69%) support a windfall tax on large online retailers’ excess profits (like Amazon)
The TUC has already called on the government to equalise capital gains tax with income tax which could raise over £10 billion – and it has supported a bigger windfall tax on energy companies.
Recent TUC analysis set out options for taxing the wealthiest 0.3% with wealth over £3 million, £5 million and £10 million, excluding pensions.
It found a modest wealth tax on the richest 140,000 individuals – which is around 0.3% of the UK population – could deliver a £10.4 bn boost for the public purse.
Rampant inequalities
The TUC warns that huge inequality has “become the norm” in Tory Britain.
The ONS’ analysis of its Wealth and Assets Survey shows that the richest 1% of households had wealth of more than £3.6 million, and the least wealthy ten per cent had £15,400 or less.
Of financial wealth, the ONS say the wealth held by the richest 1% of households was greater than for the entire bottom 80 per cent of the population.
City bonuses have been at a record level for the past two years. And banks and energy giants have been registering record profits too.
Worst pay crisis for two centuries
The TUC says working people are suffering the worst pay crisis in 200 years, which is contributing to the rampant wealth and income inequalities blighting every corner of the country.
Fifteen years on since the financial crisis, real pay is still down £360 this year compared to 2008. The average worker has lost out on a total of £21,600 since 2008, compared with wages just keeping pace with inflation.
And pay is not expected to return to 2008 level for at least another two years.
If real wages had continued to grow at the average pre-2008 rate of 2.3 per cent each year, the average worker would now be £280 per week, or £14,600 per year, better off.
Time for an economic reset
The TUC is calling for an economic reset after years of Tory failure.
As well as growing inequality, declining living standards, and public services which have been cut to the bone, the union body says the Conservatives have presided over a boom in insecure work and an attack on workers’ rights.
In addition to fairer taxation, the union body is repeating its demands for stronger protections for workers, and calling for improvements including:
Fair pay agreements to get pay rising in low-paid industries
A ban on the abusive use of zero hours contracts and a ban on fire and rehire
Day one employment rights, like protection against unfair dismissal.
The TUC says these policies are hugely popular across the political spectrum – as various recent polls have shown.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “It’s time to end the grotesque inequality of the Tory era.
“As households across the country have struggled to put food on the table, energy companies and banks have registered eyewatering profits, and CEO pay has skyrocketed.
“The wealthiest have feathered their nests while working people have suffered the worst pay crisis in two centuries.
“Rampant inequalities are the direct result of a broken Tory economic model that rewards wealth, not work.
“We need a reset – and an economy that delivers better living standards for all – not just those at the top.”
On the need to kickstart a national conversation about taxing wealth, Paul added: “Now is the time for a national conversation on taxing wealth and windfalls.
“With living standards plummeting, public services on their knees, and huge wealth inequalities blighting every corner of the country, fairer taxes can help to fix broken Britain.
“But our current tax system isn’t fit for purpose. A nurse will pay a bigger share of their income in tax than a city trader does on profits from their investment portfolio.
“That’s not only absurd and unfair – it’s bad for our economy and our public services too.
“The public overwhelmingly back increased taxes on the wealthiest and companies that have made massive profits.
“It’s only right that the wealthiest pay their fair share.”
BME men almost twice as likely to be in insecure work as white men – and BME women are more likely to be insecure work compared to white women
Insecure work is characterised by low pay, variable hours and fewer rights and protections for workers
The disproportionate concentration of BME workers in insecure work shows “structural racism in action”, the TUC says
New analysis published by the TUC has revealed the number of Black and ethnic minority (BME) workers in insecure work more than doubled from 2011 to 2022 (from 360,200 to 836,300).
The chance of a BME worker being in an insecure job has also increased, with 1 in 6 in this position now compared to 1 in 8 in 2011.
The TUC says the “boom” in BME workers in insecure work accounts for the vast majority of the overall increase in insecure workers over the last decade.
BME workers account for two thirds of the growth of insecure workers in this period – despite BME workers making up just 14% of the overall workforce.
Insecure work is typically low-paid, and those in insecure jobs have fewer rights and protections. This means their hours can be subject to the whims of managers and they can lose work without notice.
Nation of insecure work
The TUC says the UK is becoming a “nation of insecure jobs”, with precarious and low-paid work widespread in all regions and nations of the UK.
There are 3.9 million people in insecure employment – that’s 1 in 9 across the workforce.
London (13.3%) and the South West (12.7%) have the highest proportion of people working in insecure jobs.
The industries with the highest proportion of insecure work are the elementary occupations, caring, and leisure services, and process, plant and machine operatives.
Low-paid work is increasingly insecure work – in 2011, 1 in 8 low paid jobs were insecure, but by the end of 2022, 1 in 5 low paid jobs were insecure.
“Stark inequalities”
The TUC says the disproportionate number of BME workers in insecure work shines a light on “stark inequalities” in the labour market.
The proportion of BME workers in insecure work significantly increased between 2011 and 2022, while the proportion of white workers in insecure work remained relatively stable:
The proportion of BME workers in insecure work increased from 12.2% to 17.8%.
The proportion of white workers in insecure work remained at around the same level – going from 10.5% to 10.8%.
BME workers are significantly more likely to be in insecure work compared to white workers:
BME men are almost twice as likely as white men to be in insecure work (19.6% of BME men in work compared to 11.7% white men).
BME women are much more likely than white women to be in insecure work (15.7% of BME women in work compared to 9.9% white women).
While BME employment grew between 2011 and 2022 by 1.7 million, much of the increase in employment was in low-paid and precarious insecure work.
Between 2011 and 2022, almost a third (27%) of the increase in BME employment was in insecure work, compared to just 16% for the increase in white employment.
The TUC says the explosion in the gig economy partly explains the significant rise in BME insecure employment – with the number of BME workers in low-paid self-employment surging over the past decade. TUC analysis has shown a particular rise in low paid self-employment in delivery and driving among BME men.
Structural racism in action
The TUC says the overrepresentation of BME workers in insecure work shows “structural racism in action”.
The union body says BME workers experience racism at every stage of the labour market.
This includes discrimination in recruitment processes, lower opportunities for training and development compared to white workers, being unfairly disciplined, and being typecast into specific roles often with less favourable terms and pay.
The TUC says these are “persistent barriers at work” which “hold back” BME workers across different roles and occupations, leaving disproportionate numbers of BME workers stuck in low-paid jobs, with limited rights and on precarious contracts which mean they can find themselves out of work without notice.
Recent TUC polling revealed around half (49%) of BME workers said they had experienced at least one of the following forms of discrimination at work:
1 in 7 (14%) BME workers reported facing unfair criticism in the last five years.
1 in 9 (11%) said they were given an unfair performance assessment.
1 in 13 (8%) told the TUC they were unfairly disciplined at work.
1 in 14 (7%) said they have been subjected to excessive surveillance or scrutiny.
1 in 8 (12%) BME workers said they were denied promotions.
1 in 8 (12%) BME workers reported being given harder or less popular work tasks than white colleagues.
1 in 11 (9%) told the TUC they had their requests for training and development opportunities turned down.
Government action needed
To help tackle structural racism in the labour market and end the scourge of insecure work, the TUC is calling for the government to:
Ban the abusive use of zero-hours contracts by giving workers the right to a contract reflecting their normal hours of work and ensure all workers receive adequate notice of shifts, and compensation when shifts are cancelled at short notice.
Introduce fair pay agreements to raise the floor of pay and conditions in sectors blighted by insecure work.
Crack down on bogus self-employment by introducing a statutory presumption that all individuals will qualify for employment rights unless the employer can demonstrate that they are genuinely self-employed.
End the two-tier workforce and reform the rules on employment status to ensure that all workers benefit from the same employment rights, including statutory redundancy pay, protection from unfair dismissal, family-friendly rights, sick pay and rights to flexible working.
Give workers a day one right to flexible working – not just a right to request.
Establish a comprehensive ethnicity monitoring system covering mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting, recruitment, retention, promotion, pay and grading, access to training, performance management and discipline and grievance procedures.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “No matter your background, everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect at work.
“But too many Black and ethnic minority workers are trapped in low-paid, insecure jobs with limited rights and protections, and treated like disposable labour.
“The massive and disproportionate concentration of BME workers in insecure work – like in the gig economy – is structural racism in action.
“Across the labour market, and at every stage, BME workers face discrimination and persistent barriers at work.
“From not getting the job despite being qualified for the role, to being passed over for promotion, to being unfairly disciplined at work.
“These barriers lead to stark inequalities – and it’s why we’re seeing BME workers disproportionately in the worst jobs with the worst pay and conditions.
“It’s time to end the scourge of insecure work once and for all – that’s how we start to tackle the discrimination that holds BME workers back.
“That means banning exploitative zero hours contracts. It means delivering fair pay agreements to lift pay and standards across whole industries. And it means placing a duty on employers to report their ethnicity pay gap and take action to close it.”
– METHODOLOGY
The total number in ‘insecure work’ includes:
(1) agency, casual, seasonal and other workers, but not those on fixed – term contracts
(2) workers whose primary job is a zero-hours contract NOTE – data on temporary workers and zero-hour workers is taken from the Labour Force Survey. Double counting has been excluded.
(3) self-employed workers who are paid below 66% of median earnings – defined as low pay.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak declares “now is the time to start a national conversation about taxing wealth”
The TUC has called for a national conversation on taxing wealth, as it publishes new analysis which shows a modest wealth tax on the richest 140,000 individuals – which is around 0.3% of the UK population – could deliver a £10.4 bn boost for the public purse.
The analysis sets out options for taxing the small number of individuals with wealth over £3 million, £5 million and £10 million, excluding pensions.
The TUC says these options are illustrative examples of what a wealth tax could look like, using Spain’s existing policy as a potential model.
“It’s time for a national conversation”
The TUC says it is publishing the analysis to “kickstart a conversation” about tax – with the TUC general secretary Paul Nowak declaring “now is the time to start a national conversation about taxing wealth”.
According to analysis commissioned by the TUC, conducted by Landman Economics, a cumulative one-off wealth tax (excluding pensions wealth) on:
A wealth threshold of £3 million with a marginal tax rate of 1.7% would yield £2.7 billion (with the tax payable on wealth above £3 million by 142,000 individuals or 0.27% of adults in the UK)
A further wealth threshold of £5 million with a marginal tax rate of 2.1% would yield an additional £3.2 billion (with the tax payable on wealth above £5 million by 48,000 individuals or 0.09% of adults in the UK)
A further wealth threshold of £10 million with a marginal tax rate of 3.5 % would yield an additional £4.6 billion (with the tax payable on wealth above £10 million by 17,000 individuals or 0.02% of adults in the UK).
Together this could raise more than £10 billion for the exchequer.
The tax would apply as a marginal rate on wealth and assets above each threshold – in the same way income tax works. For example:
Someone with £3 million wealth would pay nothing.
Someone with £4m wealth would pay tax on £1m of their wealth – paying £17,000.
Someone with £9m would pay tax on £6m of their wealth – paying £118,000
Analysis reveals that of those with wealth over £3 million (excluding pensions), three quarters derives from wealth other than their primary residence, and over half comes from financial wealth:
Net financial (non-pension) wealth: 53.3%
Primary residence: 23.6%
Other residences: 18.7%
Physical wealth: 4.4%
The TUC says further debate is needed on what type of wealth is included in this kind of tax.
The union body has already called on the government to equalise capital gains tax with income tax which could raise around £14 billion.
The union body says it is inherently “unfair and unjust” that people who get income from assets or property get off more lightly than someone who relies on work.
Tale of two Britains
The TUC says increasing wealth inequality is resulting in a “tale of two Britains”.
While working people have been “hit by a pay loss of historic proportions” after the longest wage squeeze in modern history, the wealth of multimillionaires and billionaires has boomed.
Financial wealth over the decade from 2008-10 to 2018-20 increased by around £0.9tn (80 per cent) from £1.1tn to £1.9tn.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “It’s time to start a national conversation about how we tax wealth in this country.
“It is absurd that a nurse pays a bigger share of their income in tax than a city trader does on profits from their investment portfolio.
“That’s not only fundamentally unfair and unjust – it’s bad for our economy too.
“Our broken tax system means those at the top are hoarding wealth and getting richer and richer, while working people struggle to get by.
“That is starving our economy of spending – as it’s working people who spend their money on our high streets – and it’s starving our public services of much-needed funds.
“This research sets out potential options for getting those with the broadest shoulders to pay a fairer share.
“This is a debate we should not be afraid of having. The Chancellor should use his autumn statement to make sure the wealthiest pay their fair share of tax.”
Commenting on widening inequality over the past decade, Paul added: “Widening wealth inequality means we are seeing a tale of two Britains.
“While working people are suffering the longest pay squeeze in modern history, the super-rich are coining it in.
“Porsche sales are at record highs, bankers’ bonuses are at eyewatering levels, and CEO pay is surging.
“Enough is enough. We need an economy that rewards work – not just wealth.
“Fair tax must play a central role in rewiring our economy to work for working people.”
NEW polling reveals 1 in 2 workers feel that work is getting more intense and demanding
“Gruelling” work intensity is a growing problem in “burnt out Britain”, with workers reporting that they are working harder and longer now compared to previous years, the TUC has warned.
The TUC says increasing work intensity means workers are having to pack more work into working hours – with work often spilling over into their private lives.
The warning comes as the union body releases new polling, conducted by Thinks Insight (formerly Britain Thinks) which reveals:
More than 1 in 2 (55%) workers feel that work is getting more intense and demanding.
And 3 in 5 (61%) workers say they feel exhausted at the end of most working days.
The polling also reveals workers feel the situation is getting worse. Compared to the previous year (2021):
More than a third of workers (36%) are spending more time outside of contracted hours reading, sending and answering emails.
1 in 3 (32%) are spending more time outside of contracted hours doing core work activities.
4 in 10 (40%) say they have been required do more work in the same amount of time
4 in 10 (38%) say they are feeling more stressed at work
The TUC says women face greater work intensity than men.
The polling shows that compared to men, women are more likely to say they feel exhausted at the end of most working days (67% to 56%) and that work is getting more intense (58% to 53%).
Women are overrepresented in sectors such as education and health and social care. These are sectors where staff shortages and other factors, such as burdensome scrutiny and long working hours, have led to increased work intensification.
And women continue to shoulder most of the caring responsibilities at home, which can further add to time-pressures on them.
Burnt-out Britain
Recent TUC analysis revealed UK employers claimed £26 billion of free labour last year because of workers doing unpaid overtime.
3.5 million people did unpaid overtime in 2022, putting in an average of 7.4 unpaid hours a week.
As well as being detrimental to family life, long term-ill health conditions caused by overwork include hypertension and cardiovascular disease, digestive problems, and long-term effects on the immune system, increasing risk of causing autoimmune disease diagnoses.
When workers are tired, or under excessive pressure, they are also more likely to suffer injury, or be involved in an accident.
Perfect storm
The TUC says there are several factors are combining to create a “perfect storm” for work intensity. This includes:
Surveillance technology and algorithmic management: Algorithmically set productivity targets can be unrealistic and unsustainable – forcing people to work at high speed. Algorithmic management can also force workers to work faster through constant monitoring, including monitoring the actions they perform and their productivity.
Staff shortages: Low pay, excessive workloads and a lack of good flexible work are key drivers of the staffing crisis. Staff shortages put huge strain on those who remain as they try to plug the gaps, fuelling excessive workloads and long-working hours. This undermines the quality of our public services, and leads to high attrition and absenteeism rates, worsening the workload crisis.
Inadequate enforcement of working time regulations: The working time regulations contain important rights for workers which could help safeguard against work intensification and the consequential health and safety risks, but enforcement of these rights is inadequate. This is in part down to lack of resources for enforcement agencies. The Health and Safety Executive, which is responsible for enforcement of the maximum weekly working time limits, night work limits and health assessments for night work, has had its budget slashed in half over the past decade.
Decline in collective bargaining: Industrial changes have combined with anti-union legislation to make it much harder for people to come together in trade unions to speak up together at work. This decline in collective bargaining coverage has led to less union negotiation around work organisation, resulting in work intensification.
Ministers are currently looking to water down rules on how working time is recorded by employers in the UK, which they could impose using powers in the controversial REUL (Retained EU Law) Act.
This could significantly weaken our already-inadequate enforcement system even further, making it more difficult for labour market inspectors to prove non-compliance.
Action needed
The TUC says ministers must take urgent action to tackle burnt out Britain, including:
Introduce a new right to disconnect to ensure workers get a proper rest break away from work and make sure that work doesn’t encroach upon a worker’s home life.
Strengthen enforcement of working time regulations – that means funding the HSE properly and ditching proposed changes to how working time is recorded.
Fix the public sector recruitment and retention crisis, bringing down excessive workloads and dangerously unsafe staffing levels, delivering year-on-year fully-funded pay rises and making improvements to working conditions.
Make flexible working a genuine legal right from the first day in a job. People should have the right to work flexibly from day one, unless the employer can properly justify why this is not possible. Workers should have the right to appeal any rejections. And there shouldn’t be a limit on how many times you can ask for flexible working arrangements in a year.
Promote collective bargaining to make it easier for unions to speak withand represent workers – including broadening the scope of collective bargaining rights to include work organisation, the introduction of new technologies, and the nature and level of staffing.
Introduce to statutory duty to consult trade unions before an employer introduces the use of artificial intelligence and automated decision-making systems. This would ensure that both the employer and worker can benefit from the introduction of new technologies and that productivity gains lead to decent pay rises for workers.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “No one should be pushed to the brink because of their job.
“Gruelling hours, pace and expectations at work are growing problems up and down the country. This is a recipe for burnt out Britain.
“Chronic staff shortages, intrusive surveillance tech and poor enforcement of workers’ rights have all combined to create a perfect storm.
“It’s little wonder that so many feel exhausted at the end of their working day.
“It’s time to tackle ever-increasing work-intensity. That means strengthening enforcement so that workers can effectively exercise their rights.
“It means introducing a right to disconnect to let workers properly switch off outside of working hours.
“And it means making sure workers and unions are properly consulted on the use of AI and surveillance tech, and ensuring they are protected from punishing ways of working.”
On public sector overtime and the recruitment crisis, Paul added: “Public sector workers can’t keep going on gratitude alone. Staff are getting burnt out and leaving public services in droves.
“It’s time ministers got serious about fixing the recruitment crisis blighting our NHS, our schools and our public services.”
TUC condemns Tory “wrecking ball” to right to strike and says it won’t rest until the legislation is repealed
Union body urges employers to do “everything in their power” to avoid using this counterproductive legislation to settle disputes
The TUC has vowed to fight the anti-strike bill “tooth and nail” as the legislation passed its final parliamentary stage.
The union body said the Conservatives were threatening to “take a wrecking ball” to the fundamental right to strike – adding that “unions won’t rest” until the legislation is repealed.
The Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill will soon receive Royal Assent and make its way onto the statute book as the legislation passed in the House of Lords – after several previous defeats.
The Bill will mean that when workers lawfully vote to strike in health, education, fire, transport, border security and nuclear decommissioning, they could be forced to attend work – and sacked if they don’t comply.
1 in 5 workers
TUC research found a massive 1 in 5 workers in Britain – or 5.5 million workers – are at risk of having their right to strike undermined. The legislation gives ministers sweeping powers to impose strike restrictions in any service within those extremely broad sectors.
The UK’s actions have already come under scrutiny from international organisations. The UN workers’ rights watchdog, the ILO, recently slapped down the UK government over its anti-union agenda and demanded it respect international law.
The Bill will give ministers the power to impose new minimum service levels through regulation, but ministers have given few details on how they intend minimum service levels to operate.
Humiliating defeat
The government is rushing this latest legislation onto the statute book just days after a “humiliating defeat” on its agency worker regulations – as the High Court deemed the regulations unlawful.
The “strike-breaking” regulations were brought in last summer and allow agencies to supply employers with workers to fill in for those on strike.
The High Court ruled that the then Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Kwasi Kwarteng, failed to consult unions, as required by the Employment Agencies Act 1973 – quashing the 2022 changes.
The TUC has accused the government of adopting the same “reckless approach” with its anti-strike bill.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “The Conservatives are threatening to take a wrecking ball to our fundamental right to strike.
“No one should be sacked for trying to win better pay and conditions at work – especially in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis. But that is exactly what this draconian legislation will allow.
“These new laws will give ministers the power to snatch away the right to strike from a massive 1 in 5 workers – that’s 5.5 million people.
Commenting on the ongoing campaign against the bill, Paul added: “Make no mistake. The TUC will fight this pernicious legislation tooth and nail – exploring all options including legal routes.
“We won’t stand by and let workers get sacked for defending their pay and conditions. And we won’t rest until this bill has been repealed.
“It’s unworkable, undemocratic and almost certainly in breach of international law.
“After the government’s humiliating defeat in the High Court over its unlawful attempt to undermine the right to strike, ministers should spare themselves further embarrassment.
“Every employer must reject this blatant attempt at union busting. That means doing everything in their power to avoid using this counterproductive legislation – it will only poison industrial relations and drag out disputes.
“Our message is loud and clear. The entire trade union movement will rally behind any worker sacked for exercising their fundamental right to strike.”
On Labour’s plans to repeal the legislation in its first 100 days, Paul said: “The right to strike is a fundamental British liberty – Labour gets this. That’s why they have done the right thing and promised to repeal this nasty legislation at the earliest opportunity.”
Disabled people are more at risk of having to make the difficult decision between heating and eating
Before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic disabled workers faced huge barriers getting into and staying in work (writes TUC General Secretary PAUL NOWAK).
The pandemic, and the huge changes it has caused to our everyday lives, has exacerbated the barriers disabled people face.
Not only have disabled people been disproportionately affected in terms of loss of life, with six in 10 Covid-19 related deaths being disabled people, but pre-existing workplace barriers have been accentuated by the pandemic.
And now, new data published by the TUC for our disabled workers conference shows disabled workers are much more likely to earn less than non-disabled workers.
That’s not right.
Having an impairment should never mean you get paid less or that you’re on worse terms and conditions. However, for too many disabled workers in this country, it is an all too true reality.
With spiralling inflation and eye watering bills, workers are having their income stretched in every direction. But for disabled people, the situation is even more challenging.
Let’s not forget – disabled workers face even higher living costs than non-disabled workers. So as the cost-of-living crisis continues to play havoc with everyone’s lives, we know that these workers are feeling the pinch even more.
But the challenges don’t end there.
Disabled workers also encounter more barriers in the workplace than non-disabled colleagues – with many worried that if they ask their employer for the reasonable adjustments they need to do their job, they’ll be refused outright.
New TUC analysis reveals disabled workers are much more likely to be paid less than their non-disabled colleagues – with those in the North of England and Wales even more likely to be paid less.
And we know that disabled people are more at risk of having to make the difficult decision between heating and eating.
With this cost-of-living crisis not looking like it’s going to end any time soon, things are only going to get worse. We need action now.
With the government too focused on its own political survival, ministers have done nothing to put the mind of disabled workers at ease.
Our call is clear: It’s time to end the pay disparity that penalises disabled workers and it’s time disabled workers get the support they need in the workplace.
At the TUC’s disabled workers conference, we heard from delegates about how the cost-of-living crisis is hitting disabled workers across the country. And we heard how we can build workplaces that work for everyone.
That means stamping out insecure work by banning zero-hour contracts, increasing the minimum wage and outlawing fire and rehire.
That means giving disabled workers fair access to request reasonable adjustments, and fining those employers who discriminate against workers because of any impairment.
And that means forcing employers to come with an action plan to report their disability pay and employment gaps.
This is a plan which will deliver and transform the lives of so many disabled workers across the country.
In a major defeat for the Conservative government, the High Court yesterday (Thursday) ruled that its agency worker regulations are unlawful, after a successful legal challenge by trade unions, coordinated by the TUC.
The “strike-breaking” regulations were brought in last summer and allow agencies to supply employers with workers to fill in for those on strike.
The High Court ruled that the then Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Kwasi Kwarteng, failed to consult unions, as required by the Employment Agencies Act 1973 – quashing the 2022 changes.
Eleven trade unions, coordinated by the TUC and represented by Thompsons Solicitors LLP, brought legal proceedings against the government’s changes to agency worker regulations in a bid to protect the right to strike.
The unions – ASLEF, BFAWU, FDA, GMB, NEU, NUJ, POA, PCS, RMT, Unite and Usdaw – come from a wide range of sectors and represent millions of workers in the UK.
Unison and NASUWT also brought separate legal challenges against the laws.
The TUC says the ruling is a “badge of shame” for the Conservative government – and a “major blow” to “ministers’ attempts to undermine the right to strike”.
In addition to these agency worker regulations brought in last summer, ministers are currently rushing through the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill, which is currently making its way through parliament.
This could lead to workers being forced to work even when they have democratically voted to strike, and workers facing the sack if they refuse to comply.
Damning assessment
The Court was damning in its assessment of ministers’ failure to consult – and in particular, the conduct of the former Secretary of State for Business, Kwasi Kwarteng.
The judgment says “the Secretary of State’s approach was contrary to section 12 (2) of the 1973 Act, so unfair as to be unlawful and, indeed, irrational.”
The judgment goes onto say “the approach of Mr Kwarteng was to commit to the revocation of regulation 7 at a time when the advice to him was that it would be of negligible short-term benefit and probably be counterproductive.”
Heavy criticism
The change in agency worker regulations was heavily criticised by unions, agency employers, and parliamentarians.
The TUC has warned these new laws could worsen industrial disputes, undermine the fundamental right to strike and endanger public safety if agency staff are required to fill safety critical roles but haven’t been fully trained.
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), which represents suppliers of agency workers, has previously described the proposals as “unworkable”.
The Lords Committee charged with scrutinising the legislation said “the lack of robust evidence and the expected limited net benefit raise questions as to the practical effectiveness and benefit” of the new rules.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowaksaid: “This defeat is a badge of shame for the Conservatives, who have been found guilty of breaching the law.
“Bringing in less-qualified agency staff to deliver important services risks endangering public safety, worsening disputes and poisoning industrial relations.
“The government railroaded through this law change despite widespread opposition from agency employers and unions. The courts even found ministers ignored evidence that the measure would be counterproductive.
“This is the same reckless approach behind the anti-strike bill, which has faced a barrage of criticism from employers, rights groups and international bodies, and which has been amended by the House of Lords on three separate occasions during parliamentary ping-pong.
“Ministers should spare themselves further embarrassment. These cynical strike-breaking agency worker laws must be scrapped once and for all – and the draconian anti-strike bill must be junked for good too.”
Richard Arthur, head of trade union law, Thompson solicitors added: “This is a significant victory for the entire trade union movement and preserves a vital safeguard in ensuring the right to participate in industrial action is effective.
“The judgment makes clear that the then Secretary of State (above) had a staggering disregard to his legal obligations when introducing legislation that enabled employers to engage agency workers to cover the duties of striking workers.
“He was driven solely by a political ideology to meet a self-imposed deadline to implement the regulations in the face of mounting industrial action across the country.
“He took this decision notwithstanding advice he received that it was likely to be counter-productive to the problem he wanted to address and was being rushed through without any regard being taken to the duty to consult which was a fundamental legal requirement.
“This is bad law-making made on the hoof and the Court has rightly held the Government to account.”
‘Make no mistake – this is one of the most pernicious pieces of union-bashing legislation you will ever see’
The ongoing Conservative Party psycho-drama has dominated the headlines over the last few weeks (writes TUC General Secretary PAUL NOWAK).
While it has been good to see Boris Johnson finally held accountable, it’s meant that many important issues have slipped under the radar.
The Strikes Bill returns to parliament today (23 June). It won’t get anywhere near the coverage of the vote on the Privileges Committee report, but it should.
Make no mistake – this is one of the most pernicious pieces of union-bashing legislation you will ever see.
And the TUC is by no means alone in saying this.
Over the weekend the UN workers’ rights watchdog, the ILO, demanded that the UK bring trade union rights into line with international law.
In a rare intervention, it instructed UK ministers to “seek technical assistance” from the body and to report back to the ILO in September.
The last time the ILO issued this type of rebuke to the UK was in 1995.
Litany of critics
The spiteful legislation has faced a barrage of criticism from employers, civil liberties organisations, the joint committee on human rights, House of Lords Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee, race and gender equalities groups, employment rights lawyers, politicians around the world – as well as a whole host of other organisations.
It is no surprise that this Bill has upset and enraged so many.
The UK already has the most restrictive anti-strikes legislation in Western Europe. And these reforms will take the country in an even more draconian direction.
That would mean that when workers lawfully vote to strike in health, education, fire, transport, border security and nuclear decommissioning, they could be forced to attend work – and sacked if they don’t comply.
As the TUC has repeatedly warned the Strikes Bill is undemocratic, unworkable and almost certainly illegal.
Far from preventing strikes, the Bill will poison industrial relations and escalate disputes.
And for what? So Rishi Sunak can throw some red meat to his backbenchers and look tough to his ungovernable party.
Next steps
So where do we go from here?
The Strikes Bill is back in the Commons after a series of bruising defeats in the Lords.
The government will whip its MPs to vote down much-needed amendments as they try and fast-track the legislation onto the statute books.
Our challenge remains the same. Unions will continue to fight the Bill at every stage and will not rest until these poisonous reforms are defeated, and if passed into law, repealed by the next Labour government.
Last summer, ministers changed the law to allow agencies to supply employers with workers to fill in for those on strike. Unions are currently challenging the change in courts – with a judgment expected soon.
The right to strike is a fundamental British liberty that is vital for the balance of power in the workplace.
We must defend it at all costs. And as I told a TUC rally last month, we are also very clear that we will stand by any worker who exercises their fundamental right to strike.
The UK Covid-19 Inquiry began hearing evidence for its first investigation into the UK’s preparedness and resilience for a pandemic this morning (Tuesday 13 June 2023) at 10:00.
These public hearings are when the Chair, Baroness Heather Hallett, begins formally listening to evidence. Six weeks of hearings are planned for Module 1, which will run until Thursday 20 July.
The hearing opened with a statement from the Chair, followed by a short film showing the impact of the pandemic, featuring people from across the UK, sharing their experiences of loss.
The voices of some of those who suffered most during the pandemic are heard through the film. Some people may find the film difficult to watch.
This was followed by opening statements from Core Participants to the first investigation. The Inquiry then heard testimony from first witnesses.
The hearings are open to the public and will be held at the Inquiry’s hearing centre, Dorland House, 121 Westbourne Terrace, London, W2 6BU. Seating at the hearing centre is limited and will be reserved on a first come first served basis.
The hearings will also be available to view on our YouTube channel, subject to a three minute delay.
The Inquiry is expected to last three years.
The first four panels of the UK Covid Inquiry’s commemorative tapestry have been unveiled at the Inquiry’s hearing centre in Dorland House.
The tapestry hopes to capture the experiences and emotions of people across the UK during the pandemic, helping to ensure that people who suffered hardship and loss remain at the heart of the Inquiry.
The panels are inspired by the experiences of organisations and individuals from across the UK.
Each panel is based on an illustration by a different artist, following conversations with individuals and communities impacted in different ways by the pandemic.
“Broken Hearts” is a collaboration between artist Andrew Crummy and the Scottish Covid Bereaved group, one of the Inquiry’s Core Participants, and expresses the grief and sadness felt by so many at the loss of loved ones.
“Little Comfort” was created by Daniel Freaker, and is his interpretation of some of the emotions and experiences of those with Long Covid, following conversations with members of several Long Covid support and advocacy organisations.
“Eyes Forced Shut” was created by Catherine Chinatree. It explores the disempowerment and loss of freedoms experienced by patients and their relatives in care homes, and follows conversations between the artist and members of Care Campaign for the Vulnerable.
“The Important Thing Is That You Care” was created by artist Marie Jones, following a series of conversations with a bereaved individual in Wales, grieving the loss of her father.
Last month, the Inquiry announced that renowned art curator Ekow Eshun had been appointed to oversee the first phase of the project, with further panels to be developed over the coming months.
The Inquiry will be sharing further information about each of the panels, including from the artists, and those whose experiences helped shape the artwork, and the digital version of the tapestry will be available next month.
The tapestry will also be shown in different locations throughout the UK whilst the Inquiry’s work is ongoing. We plan to add more panels over time, so this tapestry reflects the scale and impact the pandemic had on different communities.
The UK Covid Inquiry’s commemorative tapestry is one of a growing number of sculptures, creative installations, and community initiatives being developed as the county (and the world) comes to terms with the enormity of the pandemic and its effect on the lives of countless millions of people. Each of these projects brings a unique perspective and adds a powerful new layer of value to the richness of our collective memory.
TUC: Inquiry must examine how “unchecked growth” of insecure work left millions vulnerable to the virus
NEW ANALYSIS: numbers in insecure work grew by a fifth in the decade preceding the pandemic – with half a million more in insecure work by the end of the decade
Insecure workers were TWICE as likely to die from Covid-19 during the pandemic
TUC says Tory failure on workers’ rights had devastating consequences for workers
The TUC has today (Monday) called on the Covid public inquiry to look at how the “unchecked growth” of insecure work left millions of low-paid and frontline workers vulnerable to the pandemic.
New analysis by the TUC shows that between 2011 and the end of 2019, the number of people in insecure work grew by a fifth – with half a million more in insecure jobs by the end of the decade.
In 2011, the numbers in insecure work were 3.2 million. By the end of the decade, the numbers were 3.7 million.
This growth is disproportionate compared to the growth of the labour market in this period (the proportion of those in insecure work grew from 10.7% to 11.2%).
The call by the union body comes as the Covid public inquiry prepares to take witness evidence from Tuesday 13 June.
Higher mortality rates
TUC analysis during the pandemic showed that those in insecure occupations faced mortality rates which were twice as high as those in more secure jobs.
The analysis showed that:
The Covid-19 male mortality rate in insecure occupations was 51 per 100,000 people aged 20-64, compared to 24 per 100,000 people in less insecure occupations.
The Covid-19 female mortality rate in insecure occupations was 25 per 100,000 people, compared to 13 per 100,000 in less insecure occupations.
BME and low-paid workers “forced to shoulder most risk”
The TUC says workers in insecure jobs were forced to shoulder more risk of infection during this pandemic, while facing the “triple whammy” of a lack of sick pay, fewer rights and endemic low pay.
TUC polling from 2022 showed that three in four (76%) in insecure jobs get the “miserly” statutory sick pay, or nothing, when off sick.
Insecure workers are markedly less likely to benefit from the full range of employment rights that permanent, more secure workers are entitled to, including vital safeguards such as unfair dismissal and redundancy protections.
Sectors such as care, leisure, and the elementary occupations have high rates of insecure work – compared to managerial, professional and admin sectors which have some of the lowest.
Those in insecure occupations largely continued to work outside the home during the pandemic – and many were key workers.
A government study suggested that agency workers at care homes – often employed on zero-hours contracts – unwittingly spread the infection as the pandemic grew.
During the pandemic, insecure workers accounted for one in nine workers – with women, disabled workers and BME workers more likely to be in precarious work.
Recent TUC research showed BME women are twice as likely to be on zero-hours contracts as white men.
Dismal record on workers’ rights
The TUC says that the government’s record on workers’ rights has been dismal.
Instead of “getting a grip of insecure work” as it grew from 2010 onwards, the Conservative government “let it flourish on their watch”.
This was despite government promises to boost employment rights.
The Taylor Review reported on 11 July 2017, promising “good work for all”. However, the following years have seen few of the review’s proposals implemented.
And since the pandemic, ministers have failed to learn lessons – instead repeating the same mistakes.
Ministers ditched the long-promised employment bill – and they are now backsliding on promised protections for workers from sexual harassment, as well as attacking workers’ right to strike.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “The Covid public inquiry must look at how the unchecked growth of insecure work left millions vulnerable to the pandemic.
“Ministers let insecure work flourish on their watch – instead of clamping down on the worst employment practices.
“That failure had devastating – and even fatal – consequences for workers.
“Those in insecure work faced markedly higher Covid infections and death rates. And they were hit by a triple whammy of endemic low pay, few workplace rights and low or no sick pay.
“Lots of them were the key workers we all applauded – like care workers, delivery drivers and coronavirus testing staff.
“For years ministers promised working people improved rights and protections. But they repeatedly failed to deliver.
“It’s time for the government to learn the lessons of the pandemic and stamp out the scourge of insecure work for good.”
On the Conservative government refusing to hand over unredacted evidence to the inquiry Paul added: “Ministers seem more interested in playing political games than learning lessons from the pandemic.
“It’s time they fully cooperated with the inquiry and stopped dragging their feet.”
