Employment and Trade Union Rights (Dismissal and Re-engagement) Bill

Debate between Baroness Winterton of Doncaster and Imran Hussain

Friday 22nd October 2021 Commons Chamber

[Imran Hussain]

I have given way enough on this. [Interruption.] Let me make some progress and I will—

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton)]

Order. It is up to the hon. Gentleman whether he wants to give way.

[Imran Hussain]

Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker.

For those who seek to minimise the scale of fire and rehire, let us remember—the point was made earlier—that one in 10 workers, around 3 million people across the country, of whom a worrying proportion are young or from an ethnic minority background, face having their pay cut or their rights stripped away, or losing their job. What is most alarming is that fire and rehire is being used not by smaller companies but by big national names such as British Airways, British Gas, Tesco, Clarks, Argos and Weetabix, to name a few. All of them are established companies. Many saw bumper sales during lockdown. Workers at these companies, whether in the warehouse, in the factory, on the shop floor or in HGV cabs are also the workers who kept us moving during the pandemic.

Some companies threatening their staff with fire and rehire, such as Tesco and British Airways, even received Government handouts during the pandemic, only to take the money and then show their staff the door. That is scandalous. Rather than helping working people, the Government have subsidised their dismissal during the worst health and economic crisis in a generation. This is a national disgrace.