Apsana Begum slams ‘fire and rehire’ tactics

LABOUR parliamentarian Apsana Begum has stoutly opposed the “fire and rehire” tactics of companies, saying they exposed the “failures of the law” to protect the interests of workers in the UK.

“Fire and rehire is not just an attack on the rights and pay of workers, it is an exposure of the systemic failures of the law around worker protections,” the MP for Poplar and Limehouse said in response to the second reading of lawmaker Barry Gardiner’s private members’ bill in the Commons that seeks to tackle “fire and rehire” tactics.

“In particular, BAME workers - who continue to face a disproportionate burden working in insecure jobs with fewer rights at work and an ongoing pay gap – have been faced with fire and rehire attacks at nearly twice the rate of white workers,” she said.

Employers are using “fire and re-hire” tactics in a range of industries, the British Bangladeshi politician said, alleging the practice existed in the public sector too.

“We know this all too well in Tower Hamlets, given that last year local council workers, many of whom were women of BAME backgrounds, were fired and then rehired on less favourable terms,” she said.

“... Despite working longer hours than most other EU countries, millions (in the UK) cannot afford to make ends meet and in work, poverty is at unacceptable levels.”

“Successive Governments have run down our communities and are continuing to tear away our rights. It seems they are determined to create a cynical dog-eat-dog world in which only the rich flourish”, she said.

“However, any thriving and just economy cannot be created without the full involvement and empowerment of its workforce.”