THE TUC and women’s organisations are urging politicians of all parties to back the Employment Rights Bill to deliver “much needed, long-overdue changes.”

Campaigners including End Violence Against Women, Pregnant Then Screwed, and the Young Women’s Trust have signed a statement hailing the Bill as a “significant step forward” for gender equality at work.

The Bill will return to the House of Commons in September for MPs to consider the Lords’ amendments after peers voted to water down key protections, including on zero-hours contracts.

Despite Labour pledges to ban such contracts outright, once in power the government shifted its position to a commitment to prohibit “exploitative” contracts.

The two houses will continue to vote on amendments in a process known as ping-pong until a way forward is agreed.

Women are over-represented in insecure, precarious work and 34 per cent are more likely to be on zero-hours contracts, so banning them would have a significant effect.

If passed in full, the Bill will introduce measures such as protection against third-party harassment and banning the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), which prevent disclosure of harassment, including sexual harassment or discrimination.

It will also put a duty on employers to put in place mandatory plans to close the gender pay gap, which campaigners warn is moving at a shockingly slow rate of progress: it will take another 16 years to close at its current pace.

In a joint statement they said: “Too often, women are held back at work because of poor pay and limited rights. That’s why these reforms are so badly needed for women at work.

“As women’s organisations, we know these practical, popular reforms will make a real difference to women’s lives.”

The Bill will also extend bereavement leave for pregnancy loss and reinforce protections against dismissal for pregnant and new parents and it will introduce the right to request flexible work from day one of employment.

“This is an important opportunity to start correcting gender inequalities which have held back women at work and hampered our economy,” says the statement, which was also signed by groups including Women’s Budget Group, Times Up, Can’t Buy My Silence and Just A Ball Game?

“By advancing gender equality and protecting working women, we will build a fairer, more secure labour market for all,” they said.