CWU says Autumn Statement 'will delight unscrupulous employers'
29th November 2011
For immediate release
CWU says Autumn Statement 'will delight unscrupulous
employers'
The Communication Workers Union said today that the
Government's drive to cut so-called "health and safety red
tape" and move to a "more flexible labour market"
will delight unscrupulous employers, but will make life even harder
for workers and their families.
Reacting to the Chancellor's speech, CWU general secretary
Billy Hayes said: "How typical of the Tories
to launch a further attack on workers' rights when our economy
is flatlining and unemployment soaring.
"Of course this will delight unscrupulous employers across the
country, but it will make life even harder for workers and their
families.
"Elsewhere in the Chancellor's statement, we welcome his
apparent realisation that dumping the previous Labour
Government's key infrastructure projects was a mistake and to a
certain extent, his announcements in this area - particularly on
superfast broadband - could mark a positive change of direction.
"But this must go hand in hand with a commitment to full
employment, protection of rights at work, better job security and a
decent standard of living for all."
Among other announcements in his Autumn Statement to Parliament,
Chancellor George Osborne told MPs that the Government was planning
further reforms in the workplace including changes to TUPE
regulations and reductions in workers' unfair dismissal rights.
And health and safety at work is set to come under attack too,
under Government plans that what it describes as "low-risk
businesses" will no longer need to be visited by health and
safety inspectors, exempting many "self-employed" workers
from health and safety law and revoking "unnecessary
regulations."
-ends-
For more information please contact Sian Jones on sbjones@cwu.org
or 07793314249
