Union Bill Cabinet Row Brewing Between Rayner and Reynolds – Guido Fawkes

Union Bill Cabinet Row Brewing Between Rayner and Reynolds

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A fresh row is brewing in the Cabinet over Labour’s ‘Union’ Employment Rights Bill. Over the weekend, reports surfaced that business secretary Jonathan Reynolds wrote to the Confederation of British Industry assuring them that Rayner’s zero-hours contract ban could include exemptions and mass redundancy restrictions might see a quiet climbdown after “consultations.” That would be slight relief to businesses who say the Bill will lead to a scaling back in hiring and increased headcount cuts…

Rayner has now hit back at the suggestions by claiming her bill will “kick start growth”, making pointed references to zero-hour contracts and unfair dismissal protection. Writing in The i, Rayner said:

“These new laws will deliver sick pay from the first day you are ill, protect you from being sacked without good reason or dismissed because you refused to agree to lower terms and conditions. And we will offer guaranteed hours so those currently stuck on zero-hours contracts have the security and dignity they deserve. Now we are around the Cabinet table, working people are getting the pay rise and rights they deserve and a Government determined to deliver for them.”

This isn’t the first time these two have clashed. Back in September, Whitehall sources said Reynolds had raised concerns over just how radical Rayner’s bill should be. He feared her push for full employment rights from day one, including easier access to employment tribunals for unfair dismissal, would scare off businesses and stifle growth. Rayner won that round…

Earlier this month saw a cabinet war over Net Zero and growth, with Reeves and Red Ed clashing over Heathrow’s third runway. Reeves won that battle. Shame Rayner’s ‘Ethics and Integrity Commission’ doesn’t exist to douse these growing tensions…