House of Commons · Adjournment Debate
28 January 2025 · 3 other contributors
Opened by Anneliese Midgley Lab Knowsley
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Anneliese Midgley raised concerns about unionised workers in the housing sector pay discrimination 2025-01-28 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
Key points
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for granting this debate. I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests as a member of Unite the Union. I have spent my life in the trade union movement, so it is no surprise that my first Adjournment debate focuses on the principle of collective bargaining... (The full speech continues with details about Livv Housing’s practices and the impact on workers and constituents.)
I commend the hon. Member for Knowsley (Anneliese Midgley) for bringing forward this debate.
Livv's stance is having a ripple effect across Surrey, impacting not just one but multiple industries. We need clear action from the government to ensure fair practices.
We must also consider Livv's influence in other regions and sectors; this is a national issue that requires immediate attention.
Government Response
I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Knowsley (Anneliese Midgley) for securing this debate and for her excellent speech... We are repealing nearly every part of the Trade Union Act 2016, which tried to smother trade unions in form-filling and red tape and prevent them from doing their core job of negotiation and dispute resolution. I shall go back to some of the work we are doing to improve the industrial relations landscape... We are of course repealing the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023, which, to our mind, only increased tensions and failed to prevent a single day of industrial action. We are going further in strengthening the voice of working people by making it easier for trade unions to get recognised, giving them the right of access to workplaces and making sure that they have enough time to represent their members... As we know, a range of protections exist for workers against inducements and detriment related to trade union membership or activities. Of those, I will mention three that may be relevant to this particular situation. We have acknowledged the concerns raised about Livv’s refusal to engage with trade unions or ACAS. The Government has provided significant support through our “make work pay” agenda, aiming to ensure that workplace rights are fit for a modern economy and empower working people. Our Employment Rights Bill represents the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation. We remain open to listening carefully to any arguments on how the law on inducements or detriment could be improved and welcome views on resetting industrial relations to create a modern framework that is fit for a modern economy and practices. I urge Livv to engage with the hon. Friend and the trade unions, and I am willing to look at the specific case in more detail to understand any necessary action. I will work closely with my hon. Friend to ensure that trade union rights are properly observed across the country.