Labour pledges return to union rule

SHADOW Chancellor John McDonnell will today pledge a ‘significant extension’ of trade union rights.

He will announce plans for workers to ‘share collectively’ the benefits of ownership. In a speech to the TUC Congress in Manchester, he will say that Labour will ‘restore the balance of power in the workplace’.

‘The role of Conservative governments throughout history has been to restrict and restrain the rights and influence of workers,’ he will say. ‘Few today can argue that the balance hasn’t been overwhelmingly tipped against workers.

‘The massive growth in zero-hours contracts and the gig economy have produced a workplace environment of insecurity not seen since the 1930s. Labour’s commonsense approach will forge a new workplace environment best suited to meeting the challenges of ongoing low productivity and the emerging fourth industrial revolution.’

Chancellor Philip Hammond said: ‘The last Labour government left over half a million more people out of work. Under the Conservatives, there are over three million more people in work with the security of a regular pay packet, unemployment is at an all-time low and the lowest paid have seen the fastest rise in pay for 20 years.’