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He criticised the Government for failing to uphold employment rights during the pandemic, citing issues such as unsafe workplaces, employers cutting pay and benefits without consequences, and a backlog in the employment tribunal system. He also mentioned significant budget cuts to the Health and Safety Executive.
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The speaker expressed concern about the impact of the pandemic on employment rights, particularly in sectors like aviation. She highlighted instances of 'fire and rehire' practices by employers exploiting the crisis, affecting constituents of British Airways and other companies. Jardine also mentioned the exclusion of gig economy workers from support for 10 months and called for furlough extensions until June next year to protect jobs.
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Ms Claudia Webbe highlighted the severe exploitation of workers in Leicester's garment industry, noting that one quarter of UK textile factories failing to pay the minimum wage were based in Leicester. She called for raising the minimum wage to at least £10 an hour and restoring trade union rights. Ms Webbe also advocated for eradicating zero-hours contracts and ensuring proper enforcement of workers' rights.
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Morris highlighted cases of employers forcing workers to sign up to inferior contracts during the pandemic, particularly in sectors such as aviation and criminal justice. He mentioned specific instances like British Airways cargo workers facing pay cuts between 20% and 25%, and staff at Ministry of Defence bases losing hundreds of pounds a month due to new contract terms. Morris criticised employers for disregarding employee safety and employment rights. He questioned the Minister about the need to outlaw fire and rehire practices, describing them as unnecessary and having a detrimental effect on workers.
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Jim Shannon noted the significant increase in unemployment claims, particularly among young people aged 18-24. He raised concerns about airline staff facing altered terms and conditions with no choice but to accept them due to fear of redundancy. Shannon also expressed support for urgent intervention to stop unscrupulous practices by employers and advocated for legislative protection for workers.
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The speaker raised concerns about workplace protections during self-isolation periods, suggesting that the Government should clarify that such absences cannot be used against employees in disciplinary processes. He also criticised the practice of 'fire and rehire' as an indication of weak employment laws and an imbalance of power between employers and workers, urging for stronger job security measures.
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The MP highlighted the challenges faced by workers during the pandemic, including those on minimum wage who are losing income due to furlough cuts. She raised concerns about individuals falling through gaps in support systems and mentioned cases of fire and rehire practices, which she described as cynical use of government support. The MP also discussed issues related to pregnant workers' safety, parents facing isolation challenges, and the need for better health and safety measures for retail workers who have faced abuse from customers.
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Mick Whitley highlighted the sacrifices made by the public and the exploitation of the crisis by companies like British Airways and Sainsbury's, which have laid off workers despite receiving taxpayers' money. He noted that employment rights in the UK are among the worst in western Europe, with trade union acts such as the Trade Union Act 2016 limiting their effectiveness. Whitley argued for the importance of a strong labour movement during economic crises and called on the Government to acknowledge the unions' role in forging Britain's recovery.
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He joined others in congratulating the Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire North on initiating the debate, focusing on employment rights during the pandemic. He expressed concerns over firing and rehiring practices that undermine workers' rights and called for better support for employees facing insecure contracts and job insecurities. Owen Thompson highlighted specific issues affecting women's employment, citing fears that the pandemic could set women's employment back a generation due to increased risks in sectors like retail and hospitality. He mentioned surveys revealing unfair treatment or discrimination faced by pregnant women and new mothers, including being singled out for redundancy or furlough.
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Focused on the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on women, especially working-class women. Highlighted that only 9% of working-class women can work from home compared to 44% of professional women and that more than half of all women had their hours reduced in June. Maskell sought clarity from the Minister regarding the rights of women in their third trimester of pregnancy, asking how they can be protected during this period.
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Cumbria's NHS and public health services have been successful at tracking and tracing, with a success rate of 98%, compared to the government's programme which has a success rate of around 65%. However, people contacted by Cumbria's NHS are unable to access the grant due to the government's failed system. Tim Farron also highlighted issues related to maternity leave for self-employed individuals and pointed out that many employers in his constituency let their staff go in early September despite extending furlough support late.
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Discussed the impact of the pandemic on disabled people's employment, noting that 71% of disabled workers have been furloughed or had their hours reduced. Raised concerns about employers' negative attitudes towards hiring disabled individuals, with only 33% of employers currently employing a disabled person compared to 49% in 2018. Hobhouse intervened briefly to ask a question, though no specific details of the intervention are provided in the text.