Rayner reforms risk ‘chronic' overstaffing, warns Next boss
'Your lordships will not be surprised to hear that restaurants, shops and pubs simply cannot afford to have the same number of people working in their establishments in February as they have in December. Nor can we take the risk that the extra hours required to cover many different seasonal peaks and sale events become permanent costs for the rest of the year.'
Next employs around 20,000 part-time staff. Lord Wolfson stated that the business did not use zero-hours contracts but hired temporary staff during its busy end-of-season sale period.
As the labour market continues to cool, the FTSE 100 retailer has reported a significant rise in applications for its temporary roles. Lord Wolfson said that so far this year, Next had recorded 61 applicants for each vacancy, up 25pc from last year. One shop in Birmingham received 1,200 applications for four jobs, he told the House of Lords on Monday.
'In my view, there is something of a crisis coming in entry-level employment', he said, adding that if low-hours contracts were not defined at eight hours a week, Ms Rayner's Bill 'could significantly exacerbate that problem'.
Lord Wolfson warned that businesses would turn to temporary staff, rather than offering low-hours contracts.
He said: 'If it is not clear who will benefit, it is very clear who will suffer. It will be those who choose part-time contracts, such as parents with childcare responsibilities, students balancing their studies with earning and often taking their first step into employment, carers for elderly relatives or those seeking a transition into retirement.'
Sick pay and pub banter
His concerns about the Bill come after senior Tories warned that Labour's plans to introduce sick pay from day one of illness will cause workers to skive.
Critics of the Bill claim its proposals will lead to soaring absenteeism. Ms Rayner's Employment Rights Bill will end the rule that blocks new employees from receiving Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for the first three days of an illness – the so-called three-day waiting period.
The Bill has also come under criticism for its so-called 'pub banter' ban provision, which will force venues such as pubs and universities to do all they can to protect employees from non-sexual third-party harassment.
Lord Young, a free speech campaigner, has argued that the rule will force companies to police the views of customers. He told the House of Lords in May that such a rule could also have a much broader impact on culture.
He asked: 'Who will bother to pop into their local for a drink if there are banter bouncers in every beer garden, a pronoun policy on every wall, and the need to produce proof that you have had DEI training before you can get served?'
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These properties have a great value to society, as they are frequently used by split families, where fathers can't afford a full-price rent or mortgage. These places give them time to get back on their feet and live well, whilst paying maintenance. Also, young single people who don't have a strong family network – it's their only way to afford any accommodation. These people are being squeezed out as more properties are turned over to the government. 227detius Ordinary UK citizens are sick of being ignored People in towns like Epping are exhausted. They never asked for their local hotel to be turned into an asylum hostel, never got a say, and yet they're the ones left living with the consequences – rising tension, fear, and the sense their community is being changed without their consent. Ordinary UK citizens are sick of being ignored while resources are stretched thin and foreign nationals are prioritised over them. This isn't about hate – it's about fairness, safety, and respect for the people who actually live here. The High Court ruling is a rare moment where local voices have finally been heard, and many feel it's long overdue. RFA They are asylum seekers, not migrants They are asylum seekers and cannot be called migrants. I have seen some people in hotels where they seem lost. What they need is a place to sleep and be able to eat their nation's dishes, and hotels are not aware of what food they eat. On top of that, hotels hire people who speak their language to learn their taste. If they can buy stuff themselves, that will reduce costs for government considerably. Once their case is finalised, they can start work and won't be a burden to government. TotiCalling The far-right create the problems they rail against So, right-wingers who voted in a right-wing party to stop asylum seekers being housed in run-down empty homes across the country that locals didn't want to live in, and house them in hotels instead, have won a victory against the policy they created. It's endless. The far-right create a problem, then rail against it, then by their actions create a new problem that they then blame on others and rail against that. If the UK stops accepting asylum seekers, which is what the anti-immigrant groups want, countries that border conflict zones may also reject their international obligation, leading to many times more asylum seekers heading to the UK where they will just go underground and untracked. It could also potentially damage our relationships with trading partners that do take asylum seekers and undermine our moral position that supports our global trading and strategic interests. But hey, why look at potential problems when you can raise a pitchfork and kick off. BrotherChe Farage is stirring up the crisis Professional agitator Farage is stirring up the crisis for political gain! Reform has NO policies but 'stop the boats' – a problem Labour inherited from the Tories. However, it seems the right-wing media are pushing Farage and Reform as they are the party of the establishment, who would deregulate Britain – only an advantage for the richest few. The small boats crisis also, as giving Farage a single-issue rhetoric, masks the large legal migration that happened under the TORIES – and we are not told how large it is now! Mintman Questionable judgement A questionable judgement. It says to local communities if you don't want these asylum hotels/refugees in your communities, you can protest on the grounds it might make it unsafe for your children on their way home from school, and you get the council to shut them down. You just have to make a fuss on behalf of your children. chrish Playing a very dangerous game The left-wing political establishment is playing a very dangerous game, bringing people into the country in this way and planting them in the middle of settled communities – and at great expense. The political establishment might think they are provoking the far-right, but in reality they are provoking ordinary people, many of whom have fallen on hard times. If they carry on like this, it could get very ugly. Mark Reform don't do solutions I see Reform claiming credit for this judgement. I don't see any practical solutions from Reform as to how to tackle this problem. In fact, it seems Reform don't do solutions. While the number of asylum seekers held in hotels etc is now one for Labour to solve, it should be remembered who was responsible for this backlog to build – the last government. JRiley Immigration is here to stay Some people blame Tony Blair for embracing a policy of high immigration. However, the truth is that during the Blair years, net migration was generally small but increased to between 200,000 and 300,000 per year in 2004 (Migration Policy Institute). However, in the post-Brexit years net migration rose to between 600,000 to 900,000 per year (ONS). The UK is a rapidly ageing country and cannot function without immigrants. So, immigration is here to stay and people should be grateful for that, especially pensioners and those on benefits, because immigrants pay taxes that allow the government to pay pensions and benefits. Pomerol95 Kicking the can down the road So the far-right start to riot, and their targets are punished and moved away? Makes sense. I'd rather we get rid of the far-right that are ruining the town. Good job on kicking the can down the road a bit. Bobertson If you don't like immigration, don't cheer invasions A large proportion of recent asylum seekers come from countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya – all countries which have been reduced to ruin by invasions which most of these people enthusiastically supported. If you don't like immigration, don't vote for people like Tony Blair or Lord Snooty Cameron, don't cheer on "Our Boys" when they go rampaging around the world! envious Safe routes are needed Genuine refugees need SAFE routes that the last Tory government took away, and a reintroduction of such routes would probably eliminate the small boats problem. Christopher1959
