Further workers' rights protections promised by PM
15 May 2017
The Prime Minister is promising what she says would be the biggest expansion of workers' rights by any Conservative government, if the party retains power.
BBC News has reported that the Conservative’s manifesto will pledge to keep all workers' rights currently guaranteed by EU law, put worker representation on company boards and protect pensions.
Under the election plans, there would also be a statutory right to a year's unpaid leave to care for a relative and statutory leave for parents whose child has died.
Other measures would include new protections for people in the gig economy, a statutory right to training, measures to protect workers' pensions in the wake of the BHS scandal, and a guarantee that European Union rights will be protected in the Brexit process.
The national living wage for workers aged 25 and over, currently £7.50 an hour, would rise in line with average earnings until 2022.
The Tories would also insist listed companies had representation for workers on their boards - whether on advisory panels, as a non-executive director or through a directly appointed worker representative - although firms would not be forced to have actual employees in the boardroom.
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CIPP comment BBC News has a useful General Election 2017 Policy Pledge Tracker which provides a summary of significant policy commitments made by the four main contenders so far during the election campaign. The tracker is being updated as new pledges are made. |