TRADE unionists are warning unelected peers today not to water down employee rights as the Lords considers amendments to the flagship workers’ rights Bill,

The Fire Brigades Union and the Trades Union Congress called for the government to stand firm and deliver the Employment Rights Bill in full.

The trade union movement said any watering down of the Bill would be a “betrayal” of Labour’s popular manifesto promise following reports of talks with businesses.

Fire Brigades Union general secretary Steve Wright said: “Ditching any part of the Employment Rights Bill would be a disaster for the Labour government and Keir Starmer as prime minister.

“Extending workers’ rights is easily the government’s most popular policy,” Mr Wright said.

The TUC warned that a six-month qualifying period would leave more than two million workers at risk from unfair dismissal.

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “The UK has some of the weakest unfair dismissal protections in the developed world — leaving workers to shoulder all the risk while bad bosses get a free pass.

“The statutory protection period will do exactly what it says — protect workers from being sacked unfairly. This is just old-fashioned common sense.”

The TUC has published new analysis which reveals more than two million workers would be denied protection from unfair dismissal if a six-month qualifying period was implemented.

The Employment Rights Bill will ensure workers are protected from being sacked unfairly from day one in the job. It will also ban exploitative zero-hours contracts by giving workers a right to a contract which reflects their regular hours.

But it is being delayed by a series of amendments by Tory and Lib Dem peers, including a loophole for workers to be denied a guaranteed hours contract, and another that would introduce a qualifying period of six months for protection from unfair sackings.

“No-one will be surprised that Tory peers are voting against the best interests of working people,” Mr Nowak said.

“The Lords’ amendment gives bad employers the licence to dismiss people unfairly — that is simply wrong and unjust.

“It’s time for Tory and Lib Dem Peers to step aside and stop blocking stronger rights for millions of workers.”