Theresa May in pledge to boost workers' rights

  • Video report by ITV News Business Editor Joel Hills

Theresa May has promised the "greatest expansion in workers' rights by any Conservative government" if she wins next month's General Election.

The "new deal for workers" will include protections for people in the so-called gig economy, a statutory right to leave for those who need to care for a family member and a commitment to further increases in the national living wage.

The package also includes measures to protect workers' pensions in the wake of the BHS scandal and a guarantee European Union rights will be protected in the Brexit process.

Details of the plans will be published in the Conservative Party manifesto this week, but measures will include:

  • The national living wage for workers aged 25 and over, currently £7.50, will rise in line with average earnings until 2022;

  • A new statutory right for workers to receive information about key decisions affecting their company's future;

  • A new right to request leave for training purposes;

  • A right to leave for workers after the death of a child;

  • Representation for workers on company boards;

  • Changes to the Equalities Act to extend protections from discrimination to those suffering fluctuating or intermittent mental health conditions;

  • New returnships, internships for people coming back into the labour market after an absence such as parenthood.

The new protections for workers in the so-called "gig" economy, such as drivers for Uber and internet delivery firms, follow a review set up by the Prime Minister led by Matthew Taylor, a former adviser to Tony Blair.

Although measures in the plans include representation for workers on company boards, unions are likely to be disappointed that the proposals fall short of forcing firms to have employees in the boardroom.

The plans will ensuring that listed companies create stakeholder advisory panels, designate an existing non-executive director as the employee representative, or directly appoint a worker representative to the board.

Working in the gig economy: ITV News exposed what was life was like as a Deliveroo rider. Credit: ITV News

Visiting a training facility in southern England, Theresa May said: "I said I would use Brexit to extend the protections and rights that workers enjoy, and our manifesto will deliver exactly that.

"Our plans, backed up with strong and stable leadership, will be the greatest expansion in workers' rights by any Conservative government in history.

"By working with business, reducing taxes and dealing with the deficit we have delivered steady improvements to the economic prospects of working people.

"Now is the time to lock in that economic growth and ensure the proceeds are spread to everyone in our country.

"There is only one leader at this election who will put rights and opportunities for ordinary working families first.

"The choice next month is clear: economic stability and a better deal for workers under my Conservative team, or chaos under Jeremy Corbyn, whose nonsensical policies would trash the economy and destroy jobs."

  • Workers rights pledge 'good news'

Len McCluskey says he is encouraged that Theresa May is recognising the importance of workers' rights. Credit: PA

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said: "It is good news that the Prime Minister accepts the importance of the rights we have derived from the EU, but there is no way that working people can rely on the rest of her party feeling the same way.

"Already there are those on her benches itching to scrap basic protections, like the working time directive, which keep workers and the public safe but are decried as needless red tape by many hard right Tories."

Liberal Democrat former business secretary Sir Vince Cable said: "The Conservatives tried to ban workers from striking and were blocked by the Liberal Democrats in government.

"It's clear they aren't the party of workers' rights and that you can't trust them to care about you and your family."

British Chambers of Commerce director general Adam Marshall said businesses would be worried about the prospect of "costly or bureaucratic new obligations, no matter how well-intentioned" while Mike Cherry, national chairman at the Federation of Small Businesses, said new employment regulations "must be backed up with proper support for smaller businesses".