Karin Smyth, MP for Bristol South, has voted to protect holiday pay entitlements and safe working limits following the Government’s admission that employment protections are being reviewed to see which to scrap and which to keep.
The Government will be consulting on changes to employment rights that could result in the ending of inclusion of overtime in how holiday pay is calculated, leaving workers hundreds of pounds out of pocket; a longer working week with no legal cap on the number of hours employers can make their employees work; and the end to the legal right to rest breaks at work.
The Government refused to support Labour’s motion which called on the Government to specifically rule out any changes to the 48-hour working week, rest breaks at work, or holiday entitlements, and to outlaw fire and rehire tactics.
Karin Smyth, MP for Bristol South, said:
“This last year has seen workers facing great hardship and businesses struggling to stay afloat, yet the Government have been consulting on changes to workers’ rights which would leave families in Bristol South even worse off by losing out on holiday pay and working longer hours.
“Scrapping rules that will reduce the pay workers are entitled to whilst on holiday is no way to thank our key workers for all of the sacrifices they have made during the pandemic. It is clear that the Government’s priorities couldn’t be further from those of workers and their families.
“The Government should be focusing on securing the economy and rebuilding the country, not ripping up worker’s rights. Conservative MP’s must think again and keep their promise to maintain employment rights.”