Angela Rayner’s own civil servants have voted to down tools – just as the Housing Secretary gears up to hand even more power to the unions.
The workers in her Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government are furious over “rigid” back-to-the-office demands and plans to shut key regional offices.
Despite Rayner leading Labour’s charge for workers’ rights, members of the PCS union say her department is cracking down on flexibility and clipping promotion chances.
Union boss Fran Heathcote fumed: “As the main face of the Employment Rights Bill, the Deputy Prime Minister must match her words with action and listen to her own workers.”
PCS members are threatening strike action unless the controversial plans – including forcing staff into the office three days a week – are shelved.
The timing couldn’t be worse for Ms Rayner, who’s also Deputy PM and is busy pushing a major shake-up of workplace laws through the House of Lords.
Her Employment Rights Bill would hand unions major new powers, including twice as long to call strikes after a ballot and the ability to trigger walkouts with a simple majority. But critics say the plan is a recipe for economic chaos, slamming it as “anti-business and anti-worker”.
Conservative peer Lord Hunt of Wirral told the Lords: “If it passes in anything like its current form it could be more appropriate to call it an unemployment bill.”
Union sources have warned that watering down the legislation would be seen as a betrayal.
Back in Rayner’s own department, tensions are boiling over. PCS members say restrictions on which jobs can be done in which office are unfair, and claim the office closures are a slap in the face for deprived communities.
Ms Heathcote didn’t hold back, warning: “The proposed office closures not only threaten the livelihoods of our members but also remove the presence of the government department responsible for local communities from some of the most deprived areas in the country.
“Members are deeply concerned about how these closures may affect their ability to rebuild local government, promote regional development and deliver on Labour’s mission to build 1.5m new homes.
They stand ready to strike to defend their offices, their communities and their employment rights.”
A government spokesman said: “We will continue to engage with unions and staff about a number of proposals – including plans to expand five offices outside of London and close six offices over the next two years, as leases come to an end.
“The department will continue to have offices in every English region as well as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and all staff affected will be able to continue in their roles in one of these locations.”
SO WHAT’S IN LABOUR’S NEW RIGHTS SHAKE-UP?
Rayner’s radical reforms will:
- Let workers request flexible working from day one.
- Give staff the right to sue for unfair dismissal from day one, ditching the current two-year wait.
- Ban fire and rehire tactics – unless the business is on the brink.
- Offer unpaid parental leave immediately.
- Introduce tougher protections for pregnant women and new mums.
- Scrap exploitative zero-hour contracts – but only for those who want out.
- Extend statutory sick pay to all, from day one, regardless of pay.
- Create a new Fair Work Agency to police it all.
- And of course – give unions more clout.
Rayner might be waving the flag for workers’ rights – but with her own staff preparing to strike, she’s facing a rebellion on her own doorstep.
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