UNISONActive is an unofficial blog produced by UNISON activists for UNISON activists. Bringing news, briefings and events from a progressive left perspective.

Tuesday 6 September 2011

Beyond belief - Tory rearguard action to block agency workers rights

The Daily Telegraph reports on a mendacious move by Downing Street to renege on the implementation of new rights for agency workers which are due next month: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8743377/David-Cameron-moves-to-water-down-new-EU-job-laws.html

Back in July, proposals by Cameron chief adviser Steve Hilton to scrap maternity leave and block implementation of agency rights (agreed by Parliament two years ago) were met with widespread ridicule as well as the stern advice of Permanent Secretary Jeremy Heywood that even the Prime Minister is required to obey the law. It now appears that the Downing Street mandarin's constitutional advice was no deterrent to the scheming Tory ultras: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/11cc97ae-b85f-11e0-b62b-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1X7bV1KIW

Agency workers may well pay a high price for Labour's capitulation to the private sector lobby back in October 2009 when Mandelson delayed the introduction of new rights for agency workers to the latest possible date: http://unisonactive.blogspot.com/2009/10/shameless-mandelson-backtracks-on.html