Good Jobs Bill must live up to its ambition - Derry MLA says

SDLP Economy Spokesperson Sinéad McLaughlin MLA has pledged to hold the Economy Minister accountable in delivering an ambitious and far-reaching Employment Rights Bill.

She said it was an opportunity to deliver a generational change on workers' rights. 

Ms McLaughlin said: “Workers in Northern Ireland deserve much better than the current inadequate and patchy set of employment protections. Too often, they have fallen steadily behind their peers in other parts of these islands, forced to work in precarious and unstable conditions.

"The SDLP has consistently called for a generational step-change in workers' rights that can make a meaningful difference to peoples' lives across all sectors of our economy.
 
"For too long, successive Ministers have turned a blind eye to the challenges faced by workers and we now need to see real progress being made through the welcome Good Jobs Bill."

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Ms McLaughlin continued: "In today's announcement, the Minister announced plans to introduce the ability to provide paid carer’s leave, without a firm commitment, timeline or funding for its introduction. Our unpaid carers give so much of themselves to support others but have been let down time and again. Raising their hopes without guaranteeing delivery would only add to the pain and frustration they have endured for far too long. Paid carer's leave must be delivered in full without further delay.

"It’s not enough to pay lip service to protecting staff, we need action and this is a real opportunity to get things right.

"With just two years remaining in this Assembly mandate, the Minister must act at pace. We also need to ensure that Northern Ireland keeps up with progress elsewhere, including measures currently being introduced by the British Government.

"The SDLP has long campaigned for our workers having the same rights and protections as their counterparts across these islands and we will continue to hold the Minister to account to ensure that nothing less is delivered.”