UNIONS have hailed a “historic day” for working people as the Employment Rights Bill finally passed the Lords today.

The government’s flagship workers’ rights legislation broke its House of Lords deadlock after months of wrangling in Parliament.

A ban on exploitative zero-hours contracts, day one sick pay and better protection from harassment are among a range of “long overdue” measures that will be introduced.

The passage of the Bill faced an endless stalemate after Tory peers had been blocking the legislation for weeks.

But they have finally stepped aside to enable it to receive Royal Assent and become law following a debate in the Lords today.

If the Bill had been delayed beyond Christmas, workers would have missed out on the first tranche of rights coming into force in April.

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “This is a historic day and early Christmas present for working people across the country, and the trade unions who represent them.

“Unions and workers have long campaigned for these vital rights. Together, we have broken a decades-long economic status quo defined by insecurity, weak rights and poor pay.

“Finally, working people will enjoy more security, better pay and dignity at work thanks to this Bill.

“It’s now vital that workers start feeling the benefits of this legislation in their lives as soon as possible.

“That means the legislation must be implemented in full, and at speed — with watertight secondary legislation to ensure there are no loopholes for bad bosses to exploit.”

Unison general secretary Christina McAnea argued good employers “have nothing to fear” from the legislation.

She said: “This is the biggest improvement to employment rights in a generation and can’t come soon enough.”

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Finally the Employment Rights Bill has been passed. It now must be implemented without any further dilution or delay.

“Labour needs now to stop being embarrassed by these new laws for workers.

“The Bill had already been watered down far too much, not least the failure to ban fire and rehire and zero-hours contracts.”

Business Secretary Peter Kyle said he is delighted the legislation has completed its passage through the Lords and would “drag Britain’s outdated employment laws into the 21st century.”

Tory hereditary peers were instrumental in blocking the legislation in the Lords last week over lifting the upper limit on compensation for unfair dismissal.