Conservative volunteering plans getting more confused by the minute, says TUC

Responding to the news that the Conservative Party won’t allow workers to engage in trade union activity as part of their plans to give employees three days’ paid volunteering leave a year, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

“Confusion is growing by the minute about the Conservatives’ time off for volunteering pledge. First Eric Pickles can’t make up his mind whether it is a right at all, and now the Conservatives say that there will be an approved state list of volunteering opportunities which will not include trade union activity.

“One wonders whether they will go on to ban help at food banks, outlaw giving advice to workers on zero-hours contracts and stop people volunteering for community wind power projects.

“If the Conservatives insist people can only help registered charities that means you couldn’t lend a hand at your local school, unless it is a private school with charitable status.”

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