Labour Confirms Plans For Employment Law

• Published date: 15 September 2023
• Subject Matter: Employment and HR, Contract of Employment, Unfair/ Wrongful Dismissal, Employee Rights/ Labour Relations
• Law Firm: Lewis Silkin
• Author: Mr James Davies and Lucy Lewis

Labour's plans for radical reform of employment law were confirmed this week in a speech at the TUC conference.

In anticipation of the next UK general election taking place in 2024, the Labour Party has been promising reforms to the employment landscape of a greater magnitude than, arguably, any time in the last 40 years.

In a speech at the TUC conference in Liverpool on Tuesday, Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner gave a "cast iron commitment" to bring forward an employment rights bill within the first 100 days of Labour entering office. This is part of a promised "New Deal for Working People".

Our team have previously considered what the employment law landscape might look like under a Keir Starmer-led Labour government by examining Labour's wide-ranging proposals for reform, including:

• major changes to unfair dismissal protection;

• the proposal to ban zero hours contracts;

• proposals to balance work and home life including the right to disconnect, flexible working and caring responsibilities;

• proposals to reform employment status; and

• far-reaching proposals to expand trade union rights.

The recent speech has confirmed many of these proposals. Trade union reforms were particularly highlighted, with a "loud and clear" message that the next Labour Government will ask Parliament to repeal various "anti-trade union" laws within their first 100 days. Other significant reforms were also listed, including day one basic rights, a ban on zero hour contracts, an end to fire and rehire, and strengthened sick pay for all workers.

As noted by Unite the union in response to this speech, the "devil is in the detail". Rapid change has been promised in relation to trade union rights...