, Labour’s Deputy
Leader, responding to the Low Pay Commission’s advice to
the government on the future of the National Minimum Wage
published today, said:
“This report from an independent Commission chaired by a Tory
peer, makes clear that Labour’s plans to make work pay are a
no-brainer.
“Labour strongly welcomes today’s recommendations such as
expanding the National Living Wage to all adults, as well as the
Low Pay Commission’s reassertion of the need to tackle one-sided
flexibility at work.
“After 14 years of Conservative chaos, work is far too often
insecure and low-paid, leaving working people living in poverty
and robbing businesses of stronger productivity and economic
growth.
“Labour’s New Deal for Working People will deliver a genuine
living wage and a stronger, fairer and more aspirational future
of work for Britain.”
Ends
Notes:
- The National Minimum Wage Beyond 2024 report:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6603e9009741c5001139dc1a/The_National_Minimum_Wage_Beyond_2024.pdf
- The Low Pay Commission report has recommended that in setting
future National Minimum Wage levels, the government should adopt
a future target or return to a principle-based
approach.
- It said that “The NLW has delivered substantial improvements
in hourly pay for low-paid workers… [and] Despite the ambitious
increases, we still have not found strong evidence that the NLW
has reduced employment or hours of work”.
- The LPC also recommended that the Government should “move
towards an adult rate that begins at 18.”
- In power, Labour would bring in a genuine living wage that
people can live on. We would change the Low Pay Commission’s
remit so that alongside median wages and economic conditions, the
minimum wage will for the first time reflect the need for pay to
take into account the cost of living.
- Labour is also committed to removing the discriminatory age
bands to ensure every adult worker benefits - in a timeline
recommended by the LPC.
- In the report, the LPC also said that whilst “many
stakeholders have warned that the National Living Wage’s impact
is welcome, but that low-paid workers’ earnings can still vary
substantially and unpredictably because of ‘one-sided
flexibility’. The Low Pay Commission's view remains that our
recommendations on one-sided flexibility would provide more
security here without harming the labour market. These
recommendations were for all workers to have a right to switch to
a contract that reflects their regular working pattern, to
reasonable notice of work schedules, and to compensation if a
shift is cancelled or curtailed at short notice.”. (p.iv,
link)
- Labour is committed to these proposals in our plan to ban
exploitative zero hour contracts.
- The LPC’s findings come after and Angela Rayner affirmed
their commitment to Labour’s New Deal for Working People as
they launched the party’s local elections campaign in Dudley.
