Fire and Rehire: Labour's Broken Promise?

Unmasking the weaknesses in Labour's plan to tackle fire and rehire and zero-hours contracts."This is not ending fire and rehire, this is facilitating fire and rehire." - Professor Keith EwingIn this episode of the Institute of Employment Rights podcast, we delve into the Labour Party's proposed Employment Rights Bill with labour law experts Professor Keith Ewing and Neil Todd.Topics discussed:Zero-hours contracts: Do the bill's provisions offer genuine job security and prevent exploitation for workers on these contracts?Fire and rehire: Does the bill truly ban this practice or does it inadvertently provide a roadmap for employers to continue using it?Loopholes and limitations: Ewing and Todd highlight potential weaknesses in the bill, including vague definitions, limited enforcement mechanisms, and a lack of compensation for workers who lose their jobs due to fire and rehire.International examples: The episode explores how other countries, like Australia, have successfully tackled fire and rehire and what lessons the UK can learn.The role of unions: The experts emphasize the need for stronger unions and greater worker involvement in decision-making processes to prevent exploitative practices.Key takeaways:While the Employment Rights Bill offers some positive steps, it falls short of providing comprehensive protection for workers.Stronger enforcement mechanisms, clearer definitions, and greater union involvement are crucial to ensure fair labour practices.The UK can learn from international examples to create a more robust and equitable legal framework for workers.Chapters:00:35 Welcome01:28 The Rise of Zero-Hours Contracts: A Backward Step for Workers12:05 Fire and Rehire: Lessons from the P&O Scandal18:33 Accountability and Remedy: Where the Bill falls short22:41 Employment Law Long View: Historical and International Perspectives29:19 Empowering Unions: The foundation of Workers' Rights Protection30:00 Thank YouCredits:The IER podcast is sponsored by Thompsons Solicitors.For Thompsons resources and advice on Trade Union law visit thompsonstradeunion.lawThis podcast is produced for IER by Creative Kin.To find out more, visit creativekin.co.uk/ierRecorded at Creative Kin's London studios.Studio Producer and Editor: Jason CaffreyTheme Music: Daniel Jorgensen

Om Podcasten

The IER is delighted to launch our new podcast. In this 6-part series, our labour law experts will be dissecting the new employment legislation brought forward by Sir Keir Starmer's Labour government. As many of our readers will know, the IER have been informing the debate on improving and strengthening labour laws for workers over the last 30 years. This body of work (undertaken on a voluntary basis by our labour law academics and lawyers) provided the blueprint for Labour's green paper on employment rights, New Deal for Workers document, their National Policy Forum document, and now their 'Making Work Pay' proposals, which are being brought to life by the Government's proposed Employment Rights Bill. Join us, as our experts consider how the proposals in the Bill measure up, and as we highlight the pitfalls and the possibilities the Bill may pose for the UK's 33 million workers. The IER Podcast is kindly supported by Thompsons Solicitors ( https://www.thompsonstradeunion.law/ ).