7.5 million UK workers lack basic employment rights as jobless rate set to rise

One in four workers in the UK lack basic employment protections, union leaders have warned. 

The jobless rate is expected to rise sharply in the coming months as government support for businesses and wages is removed. Yet analysis by the TUC found that 7.5 million employees have no protection from unfair dismissal because of the law which says workers must be employed for two years to qualify.

People working in industries hit hardest by the pandemic, such as hospitality and retail, are most at risk of missing out on protections, said the TUC.

Nearly half of hospitality staff and a third of people working in the retail, wholesale and vehicle repair sector have not been in their jobs long enough to qualify for unfair dismissal rights, the study suggested.

The TUC added that black and ethnic minority and young workers were most at risk of not being protected from unfair dismissal.

All employees should have unfair dismissal rights from day one in a job, urged the union.

The government promised in 2019 that it would bring forward a new employment bill to improve people’s protections at work.

But there has been no sign of the legislation. Ministers instead began reviewing hard-won rights from the EU with the view to potentially watering them down.

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "The government must do everything possible to stop mass unemployment.

"This includes strengthening protections at work so people can't be sacked unfairly. No one should be treated like disposable labour.

"If the government is serious about levelling-up Britain it must level-up workers' rights, not water down hard-won rights from the EU.

"People shouldn't have to wait for two years to be protected from unfair dismissal. There should be day one rights for everybody."

Additional reporting by PA