Luke Myer MP and Minister Kate Dearden
Last night (16 December 2025), Parliament completed the passage of the Employment Rights Bill – the biggest uplift in workers’ rights in a generation and a central promise of the Labour Government to make work pay and raise living standards.
The Bill bans exploitative zero-hours contracts, introduces statutory sick pay from day one, ends abusive fire-and-rehire practices and strengthens family and workplace protections. Around 15 million workers are expected to benefit, with the reforms designed to boost productivity, improve job security and support long-term economic growth by backing working people.
Luke Myer MP supported the Employment Rights Bill at every stage of its passage. He voted for the Bill at Second and Third Reading, voted against amendments designed to weaken it, and supported the legislation throughout its return from the House of Lords. Independent parliamentary monitoring site TheyWorkForYou records Luke’s voting record on the Bill as 100 per cent aligned with strengthening employment rights and shifting the balance at work towards employees.
Disappointingly, Reform UK and Conservative MPs voted against the Employment Rights Bill, opposing the ban on exploitative zero-hours contracts and sick pay from day one. This was despite overwhelming public support for the policies; a major poll found that 74% of voters support sick pay from day one and 72% support banning exploitative zero-hours contracts – including strong majorities of Reform and Conservative voters. In Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, 72% support the right to sick pay from the first day of sickness. In every constituency in the country, voters back these rights.
The Employment Rights Bill sits alongside wider action by the Labour Government to support working people, raise living standards and grow the economy. Labour has delivered a pay rise for over three million of the lowest-paid workers through an increased minimum wage, launched a modern industrial strategy to back British industry, reformed planning to get Britain building again, and strengthened renters’ rights. Together, these reforms reflect a clear pro-worker, pro-business approach focused on security, fairness and growth. The UK was the fastest-growing economy in the G7 in the first half of 2025.
Luke Myer MP said:
“This Bill is a massive step forward for working people. I supported it at every stage because a strong economy is built on secure work, fair pay and dignity at work.
“While Reform and the Conservatives voted against these rights, Labour made a promise to make work pay – and we have kept it.”
