Labor pledges to boost sick pay rights for lowest paid workers

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Labor has unveiled its first major general election bid on workers' rights, with a pledge to end discrimination in sick pay on the job. against low-wage employees.

Only 24 hours. Hours after wooing more than 120 business leaders with their economic plans, Labor leaders are seeking to assuage union fears that they are watering down promises on workers' rights.

The Sick pay intervention will help an estimated 1.5 million people are not covered by the rules and must either work due to illness or stay at home without financial support.

< p>The move is part of a delicate balancing act by Sir Keir Starmer to show he is on the right track. on the side of businesses and workers. His shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves, promised on Tuesday to form “a pro-worker and pro-business government, knowing that each depends on the success of the other”.

Angela Rayner will promise to scrap the lower earnings cap for statutory sick pay (Getty)

And Ms Reeves' plan will mean those earning less than the £123-a-week earnings threshold, who are currently not eligible, will be able to claim statutory sickness benefit. Labor will also allow workers to claim the payment immediately, removing the four-day waiting period before they can access it.

Ahead of officially unveiling the plans on Wednesday, Labor's deputy leader , Angela Rayner, said: “Britain is stuck. in a catastrophic loop of illness. Low-paid and precarious workers – most of them women – are forced to work while sick or be left without financial support in the event of illness.

“The Conservatives have failed to fix the UK sick pay system broken, and this only makes the problem worse. NHS backlogs are hitting productivity and harming the workers who keep our country moving.

“Unions will be laser-focused on tackling the problem of workplace illness, strengthening statutory sick pay and removing the lower income cap.

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