Lancashire MP hits out at businesses who 'fire and rehire' staff on less money and poorer conditions

West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper has joined the campaign against companies who 'fire and rehire' staff, calling it a 'social evil'.
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Mrs Cooper says thousands of British workers are threatened with being fired and rehired on worse pay and conditions to do the same job, claiming: "It’s not dodgy backstreet companies doing this, it’s the biggest names on our high street."

She added: “Workers are being bullied, sacked and told they will only be re-employed to do the same job if they accept less money and poorer conditions. This is totally unacceptable.

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“It’s an issue that affects every constituency, every industry and has grown locally here in West Lancashire based on the number of concerned employees who have contacted me over the past 18 months in particular."

MP Rosie CooperMP Rosie Cooper
MP Rosie Cooper

She added: “It’s a social evil that is afflicting hundreds of thousands of families across Britain. As if the pandemic wasn’t bad enough, companies are now threatening people with the sack so they can pay them less or take their pensions.”

Labour MP Barry Gardiner has introduced a Private Member’s Bill to outlaw the practice and MP Rosie has declared her support for the Bill. So far over 100 MPs from all parties have backed the Bill along with 20 trade unions, the Institute of Employment Rights and the Trade Union Congress.

Previously, Jacob Rees-Mogg MP said: "Employers threatening to fire and rehire someone as a negotiating tactic are doing something that is wrong and decent employers do not do,’ while Unite the union said there is a ‘Creeping culture of fire and rehire sweeping the country."

The Bill will have its second reading in the House of Commons on October 22.