"The behaviour of the House of Lords can no longer be seen as constructive scrutiny and increasingly looks like cynical wrecking tactics"
Unions have blasted Tory peers for again voting down Labour’s Employment Rights Bill in the House of Lords last night, as the “ping-pong“ between the two chambers continues.
Last month, the government ditched its election pledge to give workers day-one protection against unfair dismissal, and instead accepted a six-month qualifying period.
Alongside this, it introduced a measure to abolish the cap on compensation for unfair dismissal claims, which currently stands at £118,223 or annual salary, whichever is lower.
Yesterday, Tory peers forced a vote requiring the government to conduct a review of the cap on compensation before abolishing it.
Paul Nowak, general secretary of The Trades Union Congress, said “enough is enough”.
“Continuing to vote down the Employment Rights Bill – a clear manifesto commitment – is undemocratic. This Bill has been debated and scrutinised for months.
“Tory Peers are actively defying the will of the British public and their own supporters who overwhelmingly support measures in this Bill.”
The TUC boss added: “The unelected Lords who are holding up this landmark legislation must urgently move out the way.”
Mike Clancy, general secretary of the Prospect union, said: “The behaviour of the House of Lords can no longer be seen as constructive scrutiny and increasingly looks like cynical wrecking tactics that risk a constitutional crisis if they continue.
“Further delay is in nobody’s interests and only prolongs uncertainty, the bill must pass before Christmas including lifting the caps on compensation.”
Steve Wright, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said: “For 14 years, the Tories hammered the living standards of working people. They are now using the unelected Lords to continue that policy. “
Wright called it “a disgraceful attempt to subvert democracy”.
He added: “The Labour government cannot allow the Tories to use their inbuilt majority in the Lords to deny workers protection against unfair dismissal and zero-hour contracts.
“There must be no more watering-down of the Bill. Keir Starmer must prioritise the urgent delivery of the legislation – and get it passed before the Christmas recess. If that means MPs must sit on a Saturday, as the Commons did during Brexit, then so be it.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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