All articles written by Frances O'Grady on PoliticsHome.com

04 Aug 2022 Economy

Enough is enough – the next prime minister needs a plan to get wages rising across the economy

On Tuesday, Liz Truss’ regional public sector pay policy lasted a few hours before she was forced into a screeching U-turn.

26 Apr 2022 Foreign affairs

The UK is a long way off from a truly worker-centred approach to trade

Today marks the final day of the trade summit in Aberdeen, where the UK and US government are.

21 Jan 2022 Coronavirus

People must have confidence their workplace is safe as we learn to live with Covid

At long last a new normal is emerging in workplaces across the UK, as the vaccine programme provides greater protection against the threat of coronavirus.

22 Dec 2021 Social affairs

Trade unions are more vital than ever - so why is the government attacking them?

As 2022 begins, a pandemic is raging, nearly a million workers are on zero-hours contracts, two million workers have no right to sick pay and five million earn less than the real living wage. And yet the business secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, is making imposing new red tape on unions his workplace priority – and quietly tabling new anti-union legislation in Parliament.

19 Oct 2021 Economy

Any genuine attempt to level up Britain must start with levelling up work

I lost count of how many times the promise to “level up” was repeated during Conservative Party conference. But despite all the hype and sloganeering, Boris Johnson and his government still don’t have a serious plan for raising living standards and tackling inequalities in Britain.

01 Jul 2021 Economy

It’s time to end the scandalous low-pay, low-rights culture that grips the hospitality sector

It would be no surprise if many of the EU workers leaving the UK are doing so because of a toxic combination of post-Brexit insecurity, a volatile labour market and poor working terms and conditions.

27 May 2021 Economy

It’s time to boost workers’ rights and end our unjust and outdated two-tier workforce

For too long, false self-employment has been used as a cover to deny workers their basic rights. The Status of Workers Bill would give the millions of long-exploited gig workers in the UK greater rights.

25 Mar 2021 Coronavirus

Artificial intelligence poses an inhuman risk to worker rights

This pandemic has transformed the way millions work. Many of us hadn’t even heard of Zoom until the crisis hit - now that we’re experts we sorely miss meeting colleagues face-to-face.

But the huge growth in remote working is not the only technological shift we have witnessed during Covid-19. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) at work has massively accelerated too – albeit under the radar.

20 Jan 2021 Economy

Post-Brexit review of workers' rights must not rip-up hard-won protections in a race to the bottom

Government must protect and enhance current workplace rights guaranteed by the EU. Current proposals would weaken labour rights and ordinary working families will pay the price.

02 Dec 2020 Economy

Government’s argument for freezing public sector pay does not stand up to scrutiny

After enduring a decade of lost pay and working around the clock to get the country through the crisis, a pay rise for our public sector key workers is a matter of justice

30 Oct 2020 Economy

Ministers must do more to stop people from being plunged into hardship and mass unemployment

The TUC is calling for a three part approach; improve job support, fix our safety net and invest now in green infrastructure and public service jobs for our future prosperity.

30 Jun 2020 Coronavirus

Boris Johnson says he wants a Roosevelt-style coronavirus recovery. If he’s serious he’ll give unions a seat at the table

A post Covid ‘New Deal’ could provide 1.24 million jobs – but it also needs to tackle systemic racism, youth unemployment and low pay, says the TUC boss.

22 Nov 2018 Brexit

Frances O’Grady: The Government has failed on Brexit. If parliament votes down this deal, the people must have their say

MPs shouldn’t be bullied into voting for something that puts their constituents’ jobs and rights at risk. The government must extend Article 50 – and the people must have their say, writes Frances O’Grady

13 Apr 2016 Economy

PM should 'up his game' and back EU social dumping action

Writing exclusively for PoliticsHome's Central Lobby, TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady argues David Cameron and Remain campaigners should broaden their appeal by supporting EU plans tackling the use of migrant workers to drive down pay.

15 Jul 2015 Economy

An unnecessary attack on workers that will disrupt the balance in the workplace

General Secretary of the TUC, Frances O’Grady, argues that the “unnecessary and antagonistic” Trade Union Bill being published today exposes Tory claims of being the workers’ party to be a sham