Huffington Post: As The Prime Minister Triggers Article 50, Unions Will Be Fighting For Working People

"This Wednesday, the PM will trigger Article 50 and start the negotiations for Britain’s exit from the European Union.

"We want the PM and her team to get the best possible deal for the UK, to give us the best chance of a fair and prosperous future outside the European Union.

"First, that means making sure that the UK doesn’t slide inexorably towards a low pay, precarious work economy. British workers deserve protections at work that are at least as good as those which German or Spanish workers get. We don’t want to lose hard-won rights to equal pay for women, maternity leave, paid holidays or safety at work - and we don’t want hardworking Brits to miss out on new rights that workers in other European nations will get.

"Mrs May has promised that working people will keep all their existing workplace rights and protections. But we want that written into the final Brexit deal alongside a guarantee that rights at work in Britain will be at least as good as those in the EU.

"Next - and even more importantly - we want to see Brits’ jobs and living standards safe. Staying in the single market and customs union is plainly the best way to preserve trade and the benefits it brings. Mrs May has taken a terrible risk with all our futures by ruling this out - and she should think again...."

For more, please see the full blog at http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/frances-o-grady/brexit-article-50-workers-rights_b_15639890.html