The Employment Rights Bill is just the start. Every commitment must be enforced in workplaces, not just written into law. There can be no delays, no loopholes, and no backtracking.
Maria Exall, is Vice-Chair of Labour Unions, Communication Workers Union NEC and former President of the TUC between 2022-23
HeartUnions Week is a celebration of the power of trade unions and the difference we make in workplaces across the country. It is a chance to highlight the historic victories won by collective action, from better pay to stronger protections, and to remind every worker of the rights they have – and the rights still to be fought for. It is Unions that are the reason millions of workers have fairer contracts, safer conditions, and a voice at work.
This HeartUnions Week is the first under a Labour government in over a decade. After fourteen years of stagnant wages, job insecurity, and exploitation under the Tories, working people demanded change. They chose a government committed to making work pay. Now, with the Employment Rights Bill advancing through Parliament, there is a real opportunity to strengthen rights at work and make progress towards delivering Labour’s New Deal for Working People.
Rights are not given – they are won. Every major workplace right, from paid holidays to maternity leave, was secured through collective action. Stronger unions mean better pay, safer conditions, and a stronger economy. Collective bargaining puts money back in workers’ pockets, boosts productivity, and ensures fair treatment.
Labour’s Plan to Make Work Pay will put fairness at the heart of workplaces by:
- Raising the minimum wage so it reflects the real cost of living
- Giving workers more say at work so unions can raise pay and improve conditions.
- Cracking down on bad employers with tough enforcement of workplace rights.
- Ending ‘fire and rehire’ and ensuring secure contracts that reflect the hours people regularly work.
- Guaranteeing flexible working and family-friendly hours as a right from day one.
Stronger Rights, A Stronger Economy
Fair pay and job security lead to higher productivity, lower turnover, and more stable workplaces. Better wages and job security do not just help workers – they drive economic growth for everyone. When workers have more money in their pockets, local businesses benefit, communities grow stronger, and the economy becomes more resilient.
Decades of evidence show that when unions are strong, wages rise, workplaces are safer, and inequality falls. The UK cannot afford to go backwards. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to raise standards and make work fairer for all. A majority of voters in every constituency back stronger workplace rights, including over 65% of those who switched from Conservative to Labour. Even modest improvements from the Employment Rights Bill could boost the economy by £13 billion a year.
A Weekend of Action: Making Rights a Reality
The Employment Rights Bill is just the start. Every commitment must be enforced in workplaces, not just written into law. There can be no delays, no loopholes, and no backtracking.
This HeartUnions Week, unions are organising to make work fairer, hold employers to account, and secure the rights working people deserve. This is about more than just promises – it’s about ensuring every worker sees real change in their pay, conditions, and job security.
History shows that real progress happens when working people stand together. Now is the time to organise, take action, and deliver the change working people need.
Join us this weekend to Make Work Pay – sign up, and together we’ll deliver the New Deal in full!: https://labourunions.org.uk/newdealweekend/
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