UNISON called for a swift Brexit transition deal today and pledged to continue working to protect employment rights.
Speaking after Prime Minister Theresa May updated Parliament on the negotiations following last week’s EU summit, general secretary Dave Prentis said: “Workers must not pay for Brexit like we did for the bankers’ crisis.
“We need a swift agreement on a transitional deal now to keep confidence in the UK economy and prevent uncertainty and a cliff edge.”
UNISON has been working to protect existing employment rights during the negotiations. These could be seriously weakened through proposals set out in the government’s European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, also know as the Repeal Bill
The bill proposes to give unprecedented executive powers o ministers to change employment – and any other laws – with no say by Parliament once the UK leaves the EU in March 2019.
Mr Prentis added: “The government has no majority for weakening our rights, trying to silence Parliament and sidelining civil society from the final deal we make in Europe.
“It must stop this paralysis and agree to a transitional deal so that the technical details needed for a good Brexit deal can be discussed with full parliamentary sovereignty.”
- UNISION has joined the Repeal Bill Alliance, a broad and diverse group of organisations from across the UK which have come together to push for the best possible policy outcomes for our organisations and wider civic society as we leave the EU.Find out more at repealbill.org/.
