Letter from Frances O'Grady - 7 Dec 2018
Dear Member of Parliament,
Ever since the referendum, trade unions have said that leaving the EU must not put everyday protections at risk. These are not abstract regulations, but rights that really matter to working people. Like paid holidays, rights for part-time workers, time off for working mums and dads, equal pay for women and limits on working hours.
Theresa May promised to protect these rights after Brexit, and she’s insisted that her deal would protect and enhance rights at work. But I want to be clear that it doesn't even come close. This deal will threaten UK workers' rights – both during the transition period and afterwards.
Under the proposals, new EU rights that come into force after the transition won’t apply to UK workers. And after the transition, there is nothing to stop UK workers' rights falling far behind the rest of Europe. This deal even means that a future government could rip up the rights we have now.
The only employment rights commitments covering our future relationship with the EU are in the non-binding draft Political Declaration. In other words, they aren’t worth the paper they're written on. This is a bad deal for working people: bad for jobs and bad for rights.
Trade unions across Europe have long worked together to win a level playing field on rights at work. We won’t accept a deal that leaves UK workers worse off.
That is why trade unions can't support it – and we don't think you should either.
We need a deal that protects jobs and rights. And one way or another, the people must have a final say.
Frances O'Grady
General Secretary
Trades Union Congress
• See also: A Brexit that puts jobs and rights first
Both 'Brexit' and 'Remainer' are capitalist campaigns driven by cynical politicians who are pro- business, anti-working class proponents. So whatever the outcome of the referendum was it was never going to be in the interests of working class people. That is why a socialist left-wing case for Brexit was, and never will, be allowed to be aired.
ReplyDeleteBut had a genuine socialist's case to leave the EU been allowed to participate the debate would have been very different.
I agree. In 1974, I concluded that the EEC (as it was then) was little more than a capitalists' club and voted against it: in fact, I described it as a life support system for capitalism. I was naïve enough not to realise fully that capitalism was stronger than that and would survive whether or not we joined.
ReplyDeleteMore than 44 years on, we on the Left have to decide which is the least bad of two options, neither of which represents any substantial progress towards a socialist society. On that basis, I voted Remain, but not with any real enthusiasm.
I fully concur with the remarks of Kent and Neville.
ReplyDeleteThis is a real threat , if there are no real safeguards a future business friendly government could bow to pressure from industry and potentially scrap practically 90 percent of all working rights , an argument is that the electorate can always vote out such a regime but if legislation was impacted at the start of a government term it could be five years before any real change could take place . I do not trust politicians of any persuasion and I think it possible that even a Labour government could bow to pressure from the vested interest of large industrial conglomerates and trim working rights , inconceivable as that seems it could not be ruled out .
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