Starmer pledges not to water down workers’ rights policies after union backlash

Sir Keir Starmer has backed away from watering down Labour’s plans to reform workers’ rights laws under pressure from the unions.

At a meeting with union leaders on Tuesday, the party leader was forced to disown a leaked document which suggested key policies were being weakened.

Instead, he reassured them that proposals to ban fire and rehire tactics and give workers the right to switch off outside the office will be retained in full.

The meeting came after Sir Keir faced public anger from several unions over a paper which appeared to water down parts of his New Deal for Workers.

It suggested loopholes were being created in the ban on fire and rehire, and that granting employees the right to switch off would be voluntary.

The original package, unveiled by Angela Rayner in 2021, had already been weakened once in July 2023 to allow for more consultation with businesses.

It also dropped a proposed complete ban on zero hours contracts in favour of a right for temporary staff to demand permanent terms after 12 weeks of work.

Union leaders accepted that version, agreed at Labour’s National Policy Forum, but claimed that there had been further backsliding in recent weeks.

Labour leader accused of caving in

They accused the Labour leader of having caved in to demands from businesses to water down the plan over fears it will harm Britain’s competitiveness.

But following the meeting, Sir Keir pledged to return to the wording agreed in last July, averting a further public row with some of his party’s major donors.

In a joint statement with the unions, he said: “Together we have reiterated Labour’s full commitment to the New Deal for Working People as agreed in July.

“We will continue to work together at pace on how a Labour government would implement it in legislation.”

Matt Wrack, the head of the Fire Brigades Union, which has been fiercely critical of Sir Keir, said he was pleased with the outcome of the talks.

“The truth is I don’t think Labour does win without the big support of the unions, but also Labour has to offer something that is going to transform lives and not just hope the Tories lose the election,” he told the BBC.

A trade union source added: “The unions were very united at today’s talks and are happy with the outcome of the meeting.

“They will work with the Labour Party to deliver the New Deal for Working People.”

Economy at risk under Labour, say Tories

But the Tories said the outcome showed that Sir Keir would put the economy at risk if he wins the next election.

Richard Holden, the Conservative chairman, said: “Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour Party have three tests to pass to prove they are on the side of the British people.

“If Sir Keir does not pass these tests, he will have surrendered to Angela Rayer and the union barons with their new-French-style laws which will cost jobs and damage the economy.

“It doesn’t matter how many businesses warn about the risks of his policies, Sir Keir Starmer is in the pocket of his union paymasters.”