After fighting for stronger protections for workers across Portsmouth, local MP Stephen Morgan celebrates new measures delivered by this Labour Government coming into force, that will provide better rights and higher pay for local people.
From the 6th of April, workers across Portsmouth will benefit from reforms introduced through Labour’s Employment Rights Act, including:
- ‘Day 1’ rights to paternity and unpaid parental leave
- Stronger protections for whistleblowers of sexual harassment
- Strengthened Statutory Sick Pay
After hearing from employees across Portsmouth about the impact that insecure and low-paid work has on their lives, Mr Morgan worked closely with Government colleagues last year to pass Labour’s landmark Employment Rights Act.
Now in force, the city MP celebrates this significant moment for Portsmouth’s local workforce –which will provide stronger protections for those in insecure work, and disproportionately benefit female, younger workers, and people with disabilities.
Delivering on the Government’s commitment to make work pay and helping to tackle the cost of living, Mr Morgan also welcomes action taken to ensure residents have more money at the end of the month.
Through significant uplifts to the National Minimum Wage and Living Wage, delivered from the 1st of April, this Labour Government are ensuring the lowest paid workers across the city will take home hundreds of more pounds each year, with increases of £900 for full-time workers on the National Living Wage and £1500 for the National Minimum Wage.
New support is also being delivered for local businesses too – as from the 7th of April the newly established Fair Work Agency will provide stronger enforcement powers to stop the best of British businesses being unfairly undercut.
Bringing together three enforcement agencies, the Fair Work Agency will also support the most vulnerable workers across the country, by cracking down on businesses behaving badly and making sure everyone plays by the same rules.
Mr Morgan celebrated the introduction of these key improvements for local workers – introduced this month despite consistent efforts from opposition parties, including Reform and the Conservatives, to water down, delay and block the Employment Rights Act.
Additionally, Mr Morgan condemned recent comments from Reform, who stated they would repeal the Employment Rights Act, which would strip away rights from the most vulnerable workers, and cause uncertainty for local businesses.
Working closely with businesses and trade unions to secure these upgrades to workers’ rights, these changes deliver on the next stages of the Labour Government’s landmark Employment Rights Act, which will benefit over 18 million working people across the UK.
Commenting, Stephen Morgan, MP for Portsmouth South, said:
“This month marks a defining moment for workers across Portsmouth, who will now benefit from better pay and stronger rights at work.
“Constituents tell me the strain that insecure work and low pay have had on their lives for far too long.
“This city’s residents deserve security in work, to be paid properly for the work they do and to know if they’re sick that they’ll be protected – and that’s exactly what these changes deliver.
“I’m proud to have played my part in securing these measures and to be part of a Labour Government that truly backs working people.”
Minister for Employment Rights, Kate Dearden MP said
“I’m delighted that key measures under Labour’s Employment Rights Act have now come into force, and that more workers across the country will feel a boost in their payslip at the end of the month.
“Whether it’s knowing you’ll be paid if you’re sick or that you’ll have the right to parental leave when you start a job, people deserve dignity and security in work.
“Opposition parties have done everything they can to prevent these measures coming in by April – with Reform now even threatening to remove them.
“This just shows the difference that a Labour Government makes – backing working people, tackling the cost of living and ensuring our economy works for everyone.”
Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Peter Kyle MP said:
“The Labour party was founded to improve conditions for working people.
“As the nature of work changes, we believe that rights at work must evolve to match so that employers have a reliable workforce and workers have dignity and fair treatment.
“Reform and the Tories would repeal the employment rights act. The Greens and Lib Dem’s have no firm commitment to employment rights. Only Labour will stand up for working people.”
