Tory attacks on workers' rights sees UK's rating fall

Tory crackdowns on worker protections and the rights of unions have seen the UK's global rating on workers' rights fall, a new report has revealed.

The International Trade Union Confederation found in its 2023 Global Rights Index "In the United Kingdom, union busting, attempts to introduce legislation curtailing the right to strike and protest, and violations of collective bargaining agreements have become systematic and led to the country's rating dropping from three to four".

The shift in rating from a 3, meaning a nation is in regular violation of rights, to a 4, meaning a nation has systemic violations of rights, places the UK amongst some of the worst nations in the world for failing to adhere to basic workers' rights and protections.

David Linden MP, the SNP's Social Justice spokesperson, said the report paints a depressing picture of the reality Scotland should have been safe from, and warned workers' protections could only be safeguarded with the full powers of independence.

Commenting, David Linden MP said:

"The Tories' brazen attacks on basic workers' rights and protections have made it clear that only with independence can we safeguard the rights of Scottish workers.

"Consistent Tory clampdowns on the right to strike, and their attempts to rip up hard-won EU protections have resulted in the UK being placed among some of the worst offending nations in the world on workers' rights.

"That paints a depressing picture of the reality people in Scotland should have been safe from had we remained in the EU, or had Better Together bedfellows Labour and the Tories not blocked the devolution of employment law.

"Unfortunately, as with too many other areas, we are at the mercy of a Westminster government with little regard for the ordinary people who keep this country going.

"The SNP will continue to stand up for workers' rights, and a strong SNP presence in Westminster will do what it can to drag the next UK government to the left, but it's not enough.

"With the Tories and the pro-Brexit Labour party working hand in hand to keep us out of the European Union and keep employment law reserved, it's clear our workers' rights are not safe under Westminster control, and the only way we can guarantee them is with independence."