‘Making it easier to sack people is the last thing we need', says TUC

date: 18 December 2012

embargo: For immediate release

Commenting on the announcement today (Tuesday) that the government is to reduce the minimum redundancy consultation period and remove the right to redundancy from employees on fixed-term contracts, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

'The last thing we need is for the government to make it easier to sack people. Unemployment has not gone as high as many feared because employers have worked with unions to save jobs, even if it has meant sharing round fewer hours and less work.

'The need to consult unions has made an important contribution to that, and also given staff, many of whom will have had years of loyal service, time to think through their options.

'These measures will not create a single extra job. The idea that an employer will change their mind about taking someone on because the statutory redundancy consultation period has been reduced from 90 to 45 days is close to absurd.

'Removing consultation rights from fixed-term contract staff will seriously increase job and financial insecurity for vulnerable groups of workers, and temporary staff will lose out on redeployment opportunities.'

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