Labour workers rights revolution WILL provide boost to party coffers

by · Mail Online

Labour's new workers' rights law will provide a multimillion pound boost to the party's own coffers as well as hugely increasing the power of trade unions, it emerged last night.

The landmark Employment Rights Bill will make it far easier for unions to stage walkouts by scrapping years of anti-strike legislation introduced by the Tories.

It will also let thousands of union reps spend part of their working hours 'promoting the value of equality in the workplace', again reversing attempts by the Conservatives to restrict the time spent on union activities.

And in a move that was not announced in Labour's manifesto, the reforms will mean members' subs once more automatically contribute towards unions' 'political funds' instead of them having to opt in.

Unions can ring-fence this cash for their own campaigns but many give it to Labour instead, with £10million of the £22m raised by affiliated unions in 2014 going to the party.

Labour 's new workers' rights law will provide a multimillion pound boost to the party's own coffers as well as hugely increasing the power of trade unions, it emerged last night. Pictured: Labour Deputy Leader Angela Rayner 
The landmark Employment Rights Bill will make it far easier for unions to stage walkouts by scrapping years of anti-strike legislation introduced by the Tories. Pictured: RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch visiting a picket line at Euston 

Prof Len Shackleton, of the Institute of Economic Affairs think-tank, said: 'What is particularly worrying is that the enhanced power of trade unions, linked with these new employment rights, will make it very difficult for ministers to pursue effective policies to improve the pitiful level of productivity in the public sector.'

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Shadow Business Secretary Kevin Hollinrake said: 'Labour are taking the country back to the 1970s and changing the law just so they can fill the Party coffers.

'We all know there is no such thing as a free lunch. The price the country will pay will be tumbling growth, jobs lost, miles of red tape, waves of low threshold, zero-warning strikes and more no strings attached pay settlements.

'Keir Starmer's actions speak louder than his words. Under Labour, it's the unions and the Labour Party first, country second.'

And John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Brits will be furious that after years of industrial action government is choosing to empower and embolden unions further.

'There are tens of thousands of public sector workers already moonlighting as union reps, and Labour's plans will only make this situation worse.

'If the government is really committed to growth they should be abandoning these proposals.'

Explanatory notes published by the Government yesterday reveal the huge number of measures in the bill to boost trade union rights, as well as those of individual workers.

Junior doctors take part in a rally outside Downing Street as members of the British Medical Association walk out for five days in a strike action last June 
Young doctors protest on Whitehall, opposite Downing Street, on day one of the British Medical Association (BMA) strike action on June 27

It will repeal the minimum service levels introduced by the Tories last year to force key public services to keep running during industrial action.

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The minimum 50 per cent turnout threshold for ballots to be declared valid will be scrapped, as well as the requirement that 40 per cent of members vote in support of strikes.

Employers will be required to tell workers they have the right to join a union, and it will become easier for unions to gain recognition in workplaces.

The law will also force employers to permit staff who are 'equality reps' for their unions to get time off during working hours 'for the purpose of promoting the value of equality in the workplace' and 'arranging learning or training on matters relating to equality in the workplace'.

And it will repeal the requirement 'for trade unions to opt out their members from contributions to political funds', returning to the position a decade ago where members are 'automatically opted in'.

Shadow Business Secretary Kevin Hollinrake said: 'Labour are taking the country back to the 1970s and changing the law just so they can fill the Party coffers'

Not all unions are affiliated to Labour and can decide where to deploy their political funds, party insiders stressed.

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A Government source added: 'We're repealing the scorched earth approach the Tories took which led to French-style strike chaos and did nothing to boost our economy. This government is taking the action needed to boost productivity and make work pay.'

The reforms were welcomed by hard left MPs as well as union leaders.

Corbynite Richard Burgon, who now sits as an independent after losing the Labour whip for voting to scrap the two-child benefit cap, said: 'Before being an MP, I was a trade union lawyer for a decade and saw how our weak employment rights hold workers back. Today Labour launches the Employment Rights Bill. This is a significant step forward in overturning the years of Tory attacks on workers' and union rights.'

The RMT's firebrand General Secretary Mick Lynch said: 'This is the most significant set of reforms in workers' rights that we've seen in decades and is a far cry away from the previous Tory government's attempts to suppress the aspirations of working people.

'By stamping out exploitative practices and giving workers proper rights from day one, this legislation will begin to repair the damage caused by years of neglect and hostile policies from the Tories.'