Sinn Féin Spokesperson for employment and workers’ rights Declan Kearney, has responded to UNISON’s report on the latest Tory Withdrawal Bill.

The report concludes that the current Withdrawal Bill allows the Tories to roll back on EU safeguards for workers’ rights, by declaring that they are “unable to make a statement of non-regression” with EU Rights. 

According to UNISON, the Bill “would do absolutely nothing to stop a regression of rights, nor would they require the government to keep pace with future developments.”

Addressing UNISON’s conclusions, the South Antrim MLA said:

“This latest Withdrawal Bill proposed by the Tories will set the agenda for yet another attack on workers’ rights and entitlements.

“UNISON’s report on the Withdrawal Bill supports Sinn Féin’s assertion that there is no good Brexit for workers.

“If implemented in its current form this Withdrawal Bill will allow the present and future British governments to regress on workers’ rights indefinitely.

“In practice the British government could roll back on entitlements concerning working hours, maternity leave and agency worker protections.

“This Bill demonstrates that the British government is intent on using Brexit as a catalyst for creating a labour market based on low wages and minimal rights.

“Sinn Féin will continue highlighting the need for both the EU and the Irish government to hold the British government to account and ensure that international obligations contained in the final agreement will not be diluted through British domestic law.

“We remain committed to working in partnership with UNISON and the labour movement in Ireland to protect workers’ rights against the catastrophic effects of Brexit.”