Agenda item

 

This Council notes:-

 

·       1 in 10 workers have experienced ‘fire and rehire’ - told to reapply for their jobs on worse pay, terms and conditions or face the sack, with BME workers facing this at twice the rate of white workers since March 2020 (TUC research, January 2021). A quarter of all workers have experienced a worsening of their terms and conditions – including a cut in their pay - since the pandemic began.

 

·       That while the prime minister has called the practice “unacceptable” he has continually refused to take action to outlaw the practice, raising concerns that he will not intervene in this race to the bottom as an escalating number of employers, across all sectors, take advantage of our weak employment protections and force their staff to accept worse terms and conditions, leaving many having to work longer hours and for lower pay, with what can be devastating consequences for workers and their families.

 

·       Even before the pandemic, 1 in 9 workers – 3.8 million people – were already ‘insecure’, meaning they did not have access to basic rights at work and could be dismissed at will; including those on zero hour contracts and agency workers.

 

·       Despite austerity, as a Labour led council we pay our employees the real living wage. It is important that working people have a decent wage to live off and the council is committed to working towards being a Living Wage Employer and encouraging others to do the same.

 

·       We have been committed to improving pay and conditions and preventing exploitation by signing up to initiatives such as Unison’s Ethical Care Charter and the Charter against Modern Slavery. The latter of which placed conditions on our suppliers including the right to join a trade union.

 

·       We have strengthened our community wealth building approach and introduced a social value policy to ensure that good employment practice and support for local business is prioritised.

 

This Council, therefore, resolves to:-

 

·       Ensure local residents are protected against such unscrupulous employers and agrees to ask the Leader of the Council to write to the Prime Minister demanding he outlaw fire and rehire and act now to keep his promise to local residents to protect their employment terms and conditions.

 

·       Not use fire and rehire itself as an employer and discourage its use by council contractors, and to ensure the council has a procurement practice that means we are working with contractors that have good employment, trade union, equality and environmental records.

 

·       Promote the increasing number of progressive local employers prioritising their employees’ standard of living and their wellbeing, work with our anchor institutions and key partners to bring forward plans to ensure all have best practice employment and to work with recognised trade unions on this.

 

·       Support the TUC campaign for a ‘New Deal for Working People’.

 

Mover:-  Councillor Cooksey                   Seconder:-  Councillor Yasseen

It was moved by Councillor Cooksey and seconded by Councillor Yasseen that:

 

“This Council notes: -

 

·       1 in 10 workers have experienced ‘fire and rehire’ - told to reapply for their jobs on worse pay, terms and conditions or face the sack, with BME workers facing this at twice the rate of white workers since March 2020 (TUC research, January 2021). A quarter of all workers have experienced a worsening of their terms and conditions – including a cut in their pay - since the pandemic began.

 

·       That while the Prime Minister has called the practice “unacceptable”, he has continually refused to take action to outlaw the practice, raising concerns that he will not intervene in this race to the bottom as an escalating number of employers, across all sectors, take advantage of our weak employment protections and force their staff to accept worse terms and conditions, leaving many having to work longer hours and for lower pay, with what can be devastating consequences for workers and their families.

 

·       Even before the pandemic, 1 in 9 workers – 3.8 million people – were already ‘insecure’, meaning they did not have access to basic rights at work and could be dismissed at will; including those on zero hour contracts and agency workers.

 

·       Despite austerity, as a Labour-led Council we pay our employees the Real Living Wage. It is important that working people have a decent wage to live off and the Council is committed to working towards being a Living Wage Employer and encouraging others to do the same.

 

·       We have been committed to improving pay and conditions and preventing exploitation by signing up to initiatives such as Unison’s Ethical Care Charter and the Charter against Modern Slavery. The latter of which placed conditions on our suppliers including the right to join a trade union.

 

·       We have strengthened our community wealth building approach and introduced a Social Value Policy to ensure that good employment practice and support for local business is prioritised.

 

This Council, therefore, resolves to: -

 

·       Ensure local residents are protected against such unscrupulous employers and agrees to ask the Leader of the Council to write to the Prime Minister demanding he outlaw fire and rehire and act now to keep his promise to local residents to protect their employment terms and conditions.

 

·       Not use fire and rehire itself as an employer and discourage its use by Council contractors, and to ensure the Council has a procurement practice that means we are working with contractors that have good employment, trade union, equality and environmental records.

 

·       Promote the increasing number of progressive local employers prioritising their employees’ standard of living and their wellbeing, work with our anchor institutions and key partners to bring forward plans to ensure all have best practice employment and to work with recognised trade unions on this.

 

·       Support the TUC campaign for a ‘New Deal for Working People’.”

 

At this point it was moved by Councillor Miro and seconded by Councillor C. Carter that the motion be amended as follows.

 

“This Council notes: -

 

·            1 in 10 workers have experienced ‘fire and rehire’ - told to reapply for their jobs on worse pay, terms and conditions or face the sack, with BME workers facing this at twice the rate of white workers since March 2020 (TUC research, January 2021). A quarter of all workers have experienced a worsening of their terms and conditions – including a cut in their pay - since the pandemic began.

 

·            That while the Prime Minister has called the practice “unacceptable,” he has continually refused to take action to outlaw the practice, raising concerns that he will not intervene in this race to the bottom as an escalating number of employers, across all sectors, take advantage of our weak employment protections and force their staff to accept worse terms and conditions, leaving many having to work longer hours and for lower pay, with what can be devastating consequences for workers and their families.

 

·            Even before the pandemic, 1 in 9 workers – 3.8 million people – were already ‘insecure’, meaning they did not have access to basic rights at work and could be dismissed at will; including those on zero hour contracts and agency workers.

 

·            Despite austerity, as a Labour-led Council we pay our employees the Real Living Wage. It is important that working people have a decent wage to live off and the Council is committed to working towards being a Living Wage Employer and encouraging others to do the same.

 

·            We have been committed to improving pay and conditions and preventing exploitation by signing up to initiatives such as Unison’s Ethical Care Charter and the Charter against Modern Slavery. The latter of which placed conditions on our suppliers including the right to join a trade union.

 

·            We have strengthened our community wealth building approach and introduced a Social Value Policy to ensure that good employment practice and support for local business is prioritised.

 

This Council, therefore, resolves to: -

 

·            Ensure local residents are protected against such unscrupulous employers and agrees to ask the Leader of the Council to write to the Prime Minister demanding he outlaw fire and rehire and act now to keep his promise to local residents to protect their employment terms and conditions.

 

·            Not use fire and rehire itself as an employer and discourage its use by council contractors.

 

INSERT: -

 

·            Make sure the Council’s Social Value Policy is updated to ensure that preferential treatment is given to contractors who do not use fire and rehire and who have good employment, trade union, equality, and environmental records.

 

·            Create a Council Accreditation Scheme (within 6 months) to recognise employers in the Borough who have good employment, trade union, equality, and environmental records and who prioritise their employees’ standard of living and their wellbeing.

 

·            Work with our anchor institutions and key partners to bring forward plans to ensure all have best practice employment and to work with recognised trade unions on this.

 

DELETE: -

 

·            Support the TUC campaign for a ‘New Deal for Working People’.”

 

On being put to the vote the amendment to the motion was declared as lost.

 

At this point it was moved by Councillor Barley and seconded by Councillor Collingham that the motion be amended as follows.

 

DELETE: -

 

“This Council notes: -

 

·       1 in 10 workers have experienced ‘fire and rehire’ - told to reapply for their jobs on worse pay, terms and conditions or face the sack, with BME workers facing this at twice the rate of white workers since March 2020 (TUC research, January 2021). A quarter of all workers have experienced a worsening of their terms and conditions – including a cut in their pay - since the pandemic began.

 

·       That while the Prime Minister has called the practice “unacceptable”, he has continually refused to take action to outlaw the practice, raising concerns that he will not intervene in this race to the bottom as an escalating number of employers, across all sectors, take advantage of our weak employment protections and force their staff to accept worse terms and conditions, leaving many having to work longer hours and for lower pay, with what can be devastating consequences for workers and their families.

 

·      Even before the pandemic, 1 in 9 workers – 3.8 million people – were already ‘insecure’, meaning they did not have access to basic rights at work and could be dismissed at will; including those on zero hour contracts and agency workers.

 

·      Despite austerity, as a Labour-led Council we pay our employees the Real Living Wage. It is important that working people have a decent wage to live off and the council is committed to working towards being a Living Wage Employer and encouraging others to do the same.

 

·       We have been committed to improving pay and conditions and preventing exploitation by signing up to initiatives such as Unison’s Ethical Care Charter and the Charter against Modern Slavery. The latter of which placed conditions on our suppliers including the right to join a trade union.

 

·       We have strengthened our community wealth building approach and introduced a Social Value Policy to ensure that good employment practice and support for local business is prioritised.

This Council, therefore, resolves to: -

 

·      Ensure local residents are protected against such unscrupulous employers and agrees to ask the Leader of the Council to write to the Prime Minister demanding he outlaw fire and rehire and act now to keep his promise to local residents to protect their employment terms and conditions.

INSERT: -

The practice of fire and rehire (also called dismissal and re-engagement) occurs when an employer dismisses an employee and offers to rehire them on new, usually worse, terms. 

This Council resolves to:

DELETE: -

 

·       and to ensure the Council has a procurement practice that means we are working with contractors that have good employment, trade union, equality and environmental records.

 

·       Promote the increasing number of progressive local employers prioritising their employees’ standard of living and their wellbeing, work with our anchor institutions and key partners to bring forward plans to ensure all have best practice employment and to work with recognised trade unions on this.

 

·       Support the TUC campaign for a ‘New Deal for Working People’.”

The amended motion proposed now read: -

“The practice of fire and rehire (also called dismissal and re-engagement) occurs when an employer dismisses an employee and offers to rehire them on new, usually worse, terms. 

 
This Council resolves to:

Not use fire and rehire itself as an employer and discourage its use by Council contractors.”

 

On being put to the vote the amendment to the motion was declared as lost.

 

The substantive motion (as moved by Councillor Cooksey and seconded by Councillor Yasseen) was now debated.

 

On being put to the vote the motion was declared as carried.

 

Mover: - Councillor Cooksey                   Seconder: - Councillor Yaseen