by our parliamentary reporter @TrinderMatt

BARRY GARDINER is to challenge Tory MPs to end “bully-boy” attacks on workers by backing his anti-fire-and-rehire private members’ Bill in the Commons on Friday.

The Labour MP for Brent North slammed the tactic — where workers are forced to choose between accepting lower pay and worse working conditions or losing their job — as a “nuclear strike” option which fails to level up the country.

The former trade and industry minister’s Employment and Trade Union Rights (Dismissal and Re-engagement) Bill, which MPs will debate for the first time during its second reading on Friday, will ensure the practice can only be used as a last resort after extensive consultations with unions.

More than 200 MPs of all parties have joined Labour and a host of unions in backing the Bill, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson is yet to support it despite describing fire and rehire as “unacceptable.”

The tactic, which the TUC warns has been used against one in 10 workers — about 3 million people — during the Covid-19 pandemic, has already been legislated against in Ireland and Spain. 

In comments aimed at Tory MPs ahead of the debate, Mr Gardiner told the Morning Star: “If you are serious about levelling up, pass this Bill.

“Millions of loyal workers are being threatened with fire and rehire. The government says it cares but so far has not backed our sensible Bill.

“I haven’t met a single MP who likes fire and rehire, so why can’t the government support the Bill?”

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer urged Mr Johnson to “stop selling out working people and join Labour MPs to outlaw this despicable practice.

“Fire and rehire is an appalling tactic to get around the law and cheat working people out of the pay and conditions that they have earned through their hard work.

“Whether it is supporting fire and rehire, hiking their taxes or cutting their universal credit, Conservative ministers are making working people pay the price for the government’s failures."

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham blasted fire and rehire as an “abhorrence [which] should have no place in a decent society.

“MPs now have a chance to outlaw this new attack on workers’ wages and conditions.

“Changing the law on fire and rehire would create vital legal backing for union members across Britain who are already fighting these iniquitous practices in their workplaces.”

And TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady added: “Forcing people to reapply for their jobs on worse terms and conditions is just plain wrong.

“Fire-and-rehire tactics have no place in modern Britain. MPs of all parties should support this Bill.”

Addressing the crowd at the Morning Star’s Labour conference fringe event in Brighton last month, Mr Gardiner thanked the newspaper for being the only national publication to cover the struggle against the practice in depth.