Fire and Rehire tactics are used by some companies in response to the Covid crisis and I’ve been quite active on the campaign to put a stop to this.
I am opposed to employers using “fire and rehire” tactics to weaken working conditions and to reduce pay. The ability of companies to utilise this device just shows how far workers’ rights have been undermined by deregulation over decades.
Lord John Hendy QC, Chair of the Institute of Employment Rights has argued that the covid-19 crisis has exposed deep systemic failures in the law which is supposed to protect workers and that this “allows the employer to fire and rehire on inferior terms with apparent impunity”.
I supported both the GMB strike action against Centrica, which owns British Gas and the Unite strike action against British Airways over their use of fire and rehire tactics to reduce the pay and conditions of thousands of workers.
I am supporting the Employment (Dismissal and Re-employment) Bill 2019-21, which seeks to stop employers from using “fire and rehire” tactics.
We have a proud history of trade unionism in this country and I fully encourage and support workers organising collectively and am committed to widening and strengthening trade union rights.
I will continue to advocate against “fire and rehire” tactics and push for an expansion of legal rights for workers along with a broad package of financial support to protect jobs in the covid-19 era.
