Workers ’ protections at risk as EU Law bill moves through Parliament

Last week, the government’s Retained EU Law bill passed its second reading in the House of Commons. The bill, introduced by former business secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg, has set a fast-moving conveyor belt in motion, which will see essential protections for workers automatically vanish in December 2023, unless the government decides to produce new and equivalent UK laws. UNISON is horrified by the measures included in the Retained EU Law bill. Many core workplace protections – including holiday pay, maternity/paternity leave, protections for part-time workers and equal pay for women and men – come from the European Union. EU protections For decades, EU laws have ensured decent working standards in the UK, shielding workers from exploitation and discrimination. Without this shield, workers in the UK will be exposed to an Americanised, hire-and-fire culture that makes work more insecure and dangerous – especially for women. UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea describes the bill as “an attack on all working women”. Protections for working women have been developed over decades through a mixture of EU legislation, UK legislation and case law. Separating out those decisions will reverse years of progress for women, including: ■  equal pay: being able to challenge your employer if a member of the opposite sex gets paid more for doing the same job; ■  family friendly policies: being paid for maternity, paternity and parental leave along with any protections a...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: Article News EU Legal pregnancy and maternity rights Retained EU Law bill women's rights Source Type: news