Green peers recognise they voted wrong way on Employment Rights Bill amendment - they undertake to work closely with trade unions and fight for a better Bill

From the Green Party Trade Union Group

In November, Green peers voted for an amendment to the Employment Rights Bill concerning zero hours contracts. The amendment – which would alter the proposed mechanism to protect workers currently on ‘zero-hours’ contracts – would weaken the proposed protections in the Bill.

Green peers should have voted against it, as Green MPs had done before and have done again today, when the Bill returned to the Commons.

We’ve spoken to the Green peers, and they recognise this. They’re determined to work closely with trade unions to provide the strongest possible protections for workers on ‘zero hours’ contracts in any future legislation.

The Employment Rights Bill never went nearly far enough. Its provisions on union access and rights to industrial action are full of loopholes, ripe for exploitation by big business.

Just last month, the Labour Government broke its promise to workers by refusing to give workers full rights from ‘day one’ – an about-face which all four Green MPs have signed Andy McDonald’s motion against. It is only determined pressure from trade unions that has prevented even more u-turns from a Labour government that is failing workers.

In this context, it is essential that we defend the Bill’s best reforms – and fight for something better. The Green Party’s Trade Union Liaison Officers, Greens in Green Party Trade Union Group and beyond are committed to working closely with our union comrades to do just that.