Tag: UK Politics

Reform UK signals plans to roll back key employment rights and worker protection

A speaker gesturing passionately at a podium, promoting electoral reform, with a large banner in the background that reads 'Vote Reform'.

Solidarity is a non‑party‑political trade union. We are not affiliated to any political party and we don’t maintain a political fund. Our responsibility is to keep members informed when political proposals—by any party—could affect your rights, your security, or your working conditions.

Overview

Recent public statements from Reform UK’s leadership outline a programme of sweeping deregulation. These proposals include repealing new employment rights, removing protections for renters, and reversing measures designed to strengthen job security.

Union leaders across sectors have raised concerns that these plans would significantly weaken workers’ rights and shift power further towards employers.

What Reform UK says it intends to remove

Based on their own statements, Reform UK is proposing to:

  • Scrap new employment‑rights rules
  • Remove new protections for renters
  • Repeal regulations designed to improve job security
  • Roll back environmental and industrial regulations they describe as “daft” or burdensome

Their argument is that these rules “kill jobs” and “hinder growth,” and that removing them would reduce inflation and lower bills.

Rights and protections at risk

Union leaders have warned that the following rights could be lost if these proposals were implemented:

1. Ban on fire‑and‑rehire practices

New laws preventing employers from dismissing staff and rehiring them on worse terms could be scrapped.

2. Protections against exploitative zero‑hour contracts

Rules designed to curb the most abusive forms of insecure work may be removed.

3. Stronger unfair‑dismissal protections

Recent improvements that extend protection from unfair dismissal could be rolled back.

4. Parental leave and sick‑pay rights

Opposition parties and unions warn that hard‑won rights in these areas may be weakened or removed.

5. Local government pension security

Reform UK has said it would block new entrants to local government pension schemes and consolidate them into a sovereign wealth fund—raising concerns about long‑term retirement security.

6. Housing protections for renters

Rolling back new rental protections would affect millions of working people who rely on secure, safe housing.

Why this matters for members

If enacted, these proposals could affect:

  • Your job security
  • Your protection from unfair dismissal
  • Your rights around sick pay and parental leave
  • Your ability to avoid exploitative contracts
  • Your pension prospects
  • Your housing stability

These are not abstract issues—they shape the daily lives of working people.

Solidarity’s position

Solidarity does not support or oppose political parties.
Our duty is to:

  • Inform members about political proposals that may affect their rights
  • Defend and advance workplace protections
  • Ensure members understand the implications of changes being proposed

We will continue to monitor developments and provide clear, factual updates.

By Maria Camara

Solidarity Union Fights for Fair Sick Pay in the UK

The Solidarity union has thrown its full weight behind the campaign to raise Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) in the UK. At just £109.40 per week, SSP currently amounts to less than £3 per hour for a full-time worker. This figure falls shockingly short of the minimum wage, leaving sick workers struggling to cover basic living costs. The inadequacy of SSP has been a long-standing issue, but the cost-of-living crisis has brought its dire consequences into sharper focus.

A Global Perspective

When compared to other developed nations, the UK’s SSP is embarrassingly low. In Germany, sick workers can receive up to 70% of their salary for a duration of up to 78 weeks. France offers 50% of the worker’s salary for up to six months, with additional employer contributions often making up the difference. Meanwhile, the UK’s flat-rate SSP not only fails to account for actual earnings but is also among the lowest in the OECD. It’s a policy that punishes the sick and entrenches inequality.

Labour’s Silence is Deafening

While unions like Solidarity are leading the call for reform, the Labour Party has been disappointingly quiet. This is particularly troubling given Labour’s historic commitment to workers’ rights. The party’s leadership has yet to outline a clear policy on SSP, leaving many to wonder whether it is truly prepared to champion the needs of working people. Solidarity is urging Labour to step up and back a meaningful increase in SSP that reflects the cost of living and restores dignity to workers.

Unions United

Solidarity is not alone in this fight. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has repeatedly called for SSP to be raised to match the real living wage. Unite the Union and GMB have also highlighted the human cost of low SSP, citing examples of workers who have been forced to choose between health and financial survival. This coalition of voices underscores the growing recognition that the UK’s sick pay system is broken and in urgent need of reform.

A Call for Action

Pat Harrington, General Secretary of the Solidarity union, has been unequivocal in his demand for change: “The current rate of SSP is not just inadequate; it’s an insult to working people. No one should have to face financial ruin because they’re too unwell to work. Solidarity is committed to campaigning for an increase that brings SSP in line with the real living wage. We call on the government and the Labour Party to address this injustice without delay.”

What’s Next?

The campaign to raise SSP is gaining momentum, but it will take sustained pressure to achieve meaningful change. Solidarity is calling on all workers to join the fight, whether by supporting union campaigns, contacting their MPs, or sharing their stories of how low SSP has affected them. Together, we can push for a system that values health and protects the vulnerable.

It’s time for the UK to catch up with the rest of the developed world and ensure that no worker is left behind when they need support the most.

By Maria Camara