Scrapping the 48-hour working week cap could mean many key workers feel pressured to work excessive hours. 
Scrapping the 48-hour working week cap could mean many key workers feel pressured to work excessive hours. 

Shabana Mahmood, MP for Birmingham Ladywood, 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.

Shabana Mahmood, MP for Birmingham Ladywood, said:

“In the middle of a pandemic and economic crisis the Government should be focusing on securing our economy and protecting jobs, yet Ministers are considering changes to workers’ rights which would see people in Birmingham Ladywood losing out on holiday pay and working longer hours.

“Scrapping the 48-hour working week cap could mean many key workers feel pressured to work excessive hours.  This is not deserved after the sacrifices families in Birmingham Ladywood have made over the last year.

“Time and again the Government display their true colours, and it is clear that their priorities couldn’t be further from those of workers and their families.  Conservative MP’s must think again and keep their promise to maintain employment rights.”

ENDS

 

Notes to Editors:

  1. The Opposition Day debate motion, tabled by Labour, was as follows.

That this House believes that all existing employment rights and protection must be maintained, including the 48-hour working week, rest breaks at work and inclusion of overtime pay when calculating some holiday pay entitlements, and requires the Government to set out to parliament by the end of January 2021 a timetable to introduce legislation to end “fire and re-hire” tactics.

 

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