Trade union boss warns Reeves against trading workers rights for economic growth
Trade union boss warns Reeves against trading workers rights for economic growth
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Exclusive: FBU general secretary issues a warning to Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer over pay and workers rights following the chancellor’s speech. A senior trade union boss has warned Rachel Reeves that the Labour government will face stiff opposition if she tries to water down workers rights or suppress pay rises.
Steve Wright, the recently elected general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), told The Independent he was alarmed by Keir Starmer invoking the policies of Margaret Thatcher in describing his approach to economic growth. The Labour-affiliated FBU played a key role in ensuring that the party leadership stuck to its promise to include a workers’ rights package in its manifesto under previous general secretary and former TUC president Matt Wrack.
But following Ms Reeves speech this week on economic growth, in which she backed a third runway at Heathrow, and confirmation by her and the prime minister that all policies will need to deliver economic growth, alarm bells have rung over the potential impact on workers’ rights.
Mr Wright said: "The FBU welcomes the chancellor's assurance that there will be no scaling back of the Labour government's employment rights legislation. “However, it was concerning to see the prime minister use a media intervention about the government’s growth plans to invoke the policies of the Thatcher government.
