24 June 2016

Len McCluskey, General Secretary of UNITE, has spoken of his union’s support for the “genuine alternative” to the UK’s regressive labour laws, which have helped to keep millions of Britons trapped in poverty and vulnerable jobs.

The IER’s Manifesto for Labour Law will be launched at a free event at Westminster on Tuesday 28 June, with support from Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell and Shadow Minister for Trade Unions Ian Lavery.

Assistant General Secretary of UNITE Gail Cartmail will also join our platform on the night, alongside leaders from CWU, NUT, FBU, BFAWU and TUC.

“We are delighted to support the Institute of Employment Rights’ Manifesto for Labour Law, which provides us with the policy framework we need to move forward with a more progressive agenda in 2020,” McCluskey said.

“Through comparison with some of the strongest European economies, the Institute has clearly demonstrated what we in the labour movement always knew: that trade union rights are a boon to the economy, not a ball-and-chain like the Tories would have you believe.

“Not only has policy since Thatcher held us back from harnessing the potential of our workforce, it has also left the lowest paid and the most vulnerable workers in our society in dire straits. British workers have some of the most stressful and most uncertain working lives in Europe, and CEOs are profiting from it. Our wage gap is higher than anywhere else in the EU. This is a disgraceful state of affairs and UNITE will move to support a genuine alternative that promotes cooperation between workers and employers in the best interests of everyone, rather than the divide and conquer approach of the Tory Party.”

At the launch, co-lead authors of the Manifesto John Hendy QC (Chair of the IER) and Professor Keith Ewing (President of the IER) will present 25 policy recommendations for the next Labour government.

Click here to register to attend the free launch