Rachael Maskell MP for York Central, will take up a new role shaping Labour’s agenda on Employment Rights in the Shadow Cabinet, it has been announced today.
Having worked as a trade union official for 17 years, Rachael is well placed to understand the challenges facing workers in the 21st century.
Enabling every worker to be valued at work, to develop a career, and to make progress forms a vital bedrock to a strong economy, however all too often workers are seen as human machines, valued only for what they produce and not who they are.
She will take the challenge to the Government over these issues, which is particularly critical now the Government have removed their guarantees that the UK will maintain EU workers’ rights after Brexit.
Rachael Maskell MP says:
“Work plays a major part in all of our lives, and I will look at every aspect of employment rights, from how we travel to work, drawing on the work I have been developing as a Shadow Transport Minister through to rights in the workplace to value workers.
“As we spend most of our waking hours at work, it should be an enriching experience. Something that draws on the talents and interests of every worker, values all that a person can bring and ensures workers are properly rewarded with decent pay, high quality terms and conditions and job guaranteed security.
“I will also bring a focus on changing the culture of workplaces. Bullying, work-related stress and challenges to physical and mental health are poorly dealt with in many workplaces. I have been looking at some of the initiatives that employers in York have been taking, like Nestle, Aviva and McDonalds to invest in staff wellbeing. I will also prioritise introducing legislation around bullying at work, where there is currently no legal definition or remedy. Too often perpetrators continue in their jobs while targets of negative behaviours are forced out the door.
“I also want to work with local employers, large and small, here in York, to focus on how we can improve employment practices in the city in these challenging economic times, and plan to call a meeting with employers in the city in the coming days to start that conversation.”