Keir Starmer to promise new deal for workers under a Labour government
Sir Keir Starmer will pledge to deliver a “new deal for workers” under a future Labour government after facing criticism that he lacks vision.
The labour leader will announce a policy to enforce full rights and protections for all workers from day one in a job at a meeting of the Trade Union Congress today. Starmer wants to deliver a £10 minimum wage, holiday pay, parental leave and protection from unfair dismissal while ‘fire and rehire’ policies and zero-hours contracts will be thrown on the scrap heap.
The UK’s main opposition leader will say that “ensuring good quality secure work, underpinned with employment rights fit for the reality of modern working, is not only good for employees, but it’s good for business.”
Starmer will say his plan can get the economy “firing on all cylinders” by helping “too many” people in Britain who “spend their lives worrying about how many hours they’ll be given next week, what will happen if they need to attend a medical appointment, or how they’ll pay the bills if they fall ill.”
The news comes as Starmer struggles to silence critics who claim the party lacks a clear message under his leadership. He plans to set out a new mission statement for Labour in a 14,000 word essay to be published later this month.
Frances O’Grady, General Secretary of the TUC, welcomed the proposed changes. She said, “banning zero-hours contracts and delivering decent sick pay for everyone would make a real difference to millions of workers.
“The pandemic exposed the terrible working conditions that many in our labour market face – including our dedicated key workers,” she added.
The Labour Party has said that the pay uplift would mean a pay rise of £2,500 a year for a carer on the minimum wage. Businesses have already signalled growing willingness to raise worker pay amid chronic job shortages, which topped 1m in August.
Read more: Sir Keir Starmer to publish 14,000-word mission statement in leadership reset