The Conservative Party have announced a range of new employment policies to deliver more rights for workers. This also includes a commitment to increase the National Living Wage rates to raise in line with median earnings until 2022. The full list of policies are detailed below;
- Protection for all workers’ rights currently guaranteed by EU law. The Conservatives will guarantee all rights that workers currently enjoy as we leave the European Union
- A commitment to increase the National Living Wage in line with median earnings until the end of the next Parliament in 2022.
- New protections for ‘gig’ economy workers, following the Matthew Taylor Review that Theresa May established in one of her first moves after becoming Prime Minister
- Representation for workers on company boards, under the Conservatives’ wider reforms to corporate governance.
- A new statutory right to receive information about key decisions affecting your company’s future, subject to reasonable safeguards, and in keeping with but not exceeding the rights of shareholders.
- A new statutory right to request leave for training purposes, to help workers gain the skills they need to retain good, well-paid jobs.
- A new statutory right to leave to care for a family member, in line with other countries.
- New rules to protect workers’ pensions from irresponsible behaviour by company bosses, like unsustainable dividends and takeovers that put the future of the pension scheme at risk.
- Reforms to the Equalities Act to extend protections from discrimination to those suffering fluctuating or intermittent mental health conditions.
- A statutory right to child bereavement leave, for those who suffer the tragedy of losing a child.
- The introduction of new returnships for people returning to the labour market from a period of absence, including from parenthood and elderly care.
The Conservative Party Manifesto is scheduled to be published later this week and ACS will provide members with a full update.