Unions warn government not to water down workers' rights bill

Workers face two-year wait for several new rights

Business groups urge changes to workers' rights bill

Unison general secretary Christina McAnea said she is concerned the government is no longer committed to implementing the Bill in full, following Angela Rayner's departure and the cabinet reshuffle. Other unions have also raised concerns.

The legislation would be a major shake-up of workers' rights, which would include protection against unfair dismissal, and a ban on "exploitative" zero-hours contracts.

The warnings come as a senior Labour MP told the

The MP warned: ''Many Labour colleagues fear that with the economy under strain, ministers may be tempted to drag their feet on implementation as an olive branch to business.''

At the Trades Union Congress in Brighton, senior union figures have voiced their concerns that the Bill would be watered down following the departure of Angela Rayner, the sacking of Justin Madders as Employment Minister and the decision to move Jonathan Reynolds from Business to Chief Whip.

Trade union leaders are very worried. With Angela Rayner gone, they fear they've lost a fierce champion for workers rights in government.

Unison represents more than a million workers. many in relatively low paid jobs. The general secretary, Christina McAnea, is normally very loyal to the government:

"It's very significant and very worrying that they've been moved," Ms McAnea told the

"It doesn't send out a very good message that the people who were absolutely committed to driving through the employment rights bill are no longer doing those jobs," she said.

"No names are coming forward that really fill me with confidence that the party is still committed and the government is still committed to taking this through".

The proposed legislation was a "once in a lifetime opportunity" for the government to "shift the dial just slightly in favour of working people", she said.

Other union leaders felt the same way, Ms McAnea said, and that any attempt to "pull back" on the bill would be a "huge mistake" that unions would "furiously" campaign against.

"We will do everything we can to make sure this is not watered down. We're expecting a clear timetable, and if that doesn't happen, there will be some very very unhappy trade union leaders around, including me," she said.

The TUC also urged the government to "stay on course" in delivering the bill.

Its general secretary Paul Novak told the

Concern is coming from unions on the right of the trade union movement, not the usual suspects who might be expected to criticise the government.

Mr Novak said the bill "will give a massive boost to rights for millions of working people in this country, lots of whom are in insecure, low-paid employment".

"My message to the government is, stay on course, deliver the employment rights bill, and deliver it in full," he said.

He also pushed back on the idea the government could make concessions to business in the legislation.

"I think that's the last thing government should countenance", Mr Novak said.

"Having people in well-paid, secure employment is good for everybody. It's good for workers, but it's also good for the good employers who are being undercut

USDAW represents more than 300,000 workers, many of whom work in supermarkets, factories and warehouses.

The union is concerned that an amendment to the Employment Rights Bill, which was added

The amendment seeks to change the Bill from a requirement for an employer to offer guaranteed hours to a right to request guaranteed hours

The union is concerned that this would be a weakening of their members' rights because there would no longer be a right to a contract that reflects their normal hours of work.

The Federation of Small Businesses has told the

"In some of our recent polling of members, 92% of employers said they were worried about this legislation. We have never got to that level in a poll," said Craig Beaumont, director of policy at the FSB.

"They are overwhelmed

Mr Beaumont said that Rayner's resignation and the sacking of employment minister Madders - two key government supporters of the bill - could allow for some compromise.