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The TUC has today (Tuesday) welcomed Labour pledges to extend sick pay to all and raise it, and to ban zero-hours contracts and deliver day one rights for workers.  

The TUC has today (Tuesday) welcomed Labour pledges to extend sick pay to all and raise it, and to ban zero-hours contracts and deliver day one rights for workers.  

Commenting on Labour leader Keir Starmer’s speech at Congress, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:  

"Keir Starmer is right to focus on dignity at work. This pandemic has exposed the inequality and insecurity at the heart of our labour market.  

“No-one should be pushed into financial hardship if they fall ill at work. 

“Keir today promised that the next Labour government will increase statutory sick pay and make sure everyone has access to it - including the lowest-paid workers.  

“During the pandemic, too many couldn’t afford to self-isolate because sick pay is too low or they aren’t eligible for it at all. This badly undermined our public health effort during Covid.  

“It’s great to see Keir backing a ban on zero hours contracts and calling for workers across the country to get day one rights at work.” 

Editors note

-2 million low paid workers don’t currently receive statutory sick pay – most of them women https://www.tuc.org.uk/research-analysis/reports/sick-pay-works  

-The UK has one of the lowest rates of sick pay in Europe at £96.35 a week 

-A third of those on zero hours contracts workers don’t qualify for any sick pay.  https://www.tuc.org.uk/research-analysis/reports/covid-19-and-insecure-work  

TUC report A New Deal for Social Care, published 5 September 2021 - https://www.tuc.org.uk/research-analysis/reports/new-deal-social-care-new-deal-workforce   

-7 in 10 social care staff earn less than £10 an hour  

-1 in 4 social care staff are employed on zero-hours contracts. 

-Today’s sick pay policy is new – it did not appear in the 2019 Labour manifesto.  

 
- The Trades Union Congress (TUC) exists to make the working world a better place for everyone. We bring together the 5.5 million working people who make up our 48 member unions. We support unions to grow and thrive, and we stand up for everyone who works for a living. 

Contacts: 

TUC press office  
media@tuc.org.uk   
020 7467 1248  

 

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