Well, April 2012 is looking like a right old corker of a month. Assuming the world doesn’t end on Friday and we all live to see it we can look forward to a complete arse up of the benefits system and now the possibility of eroding the rights of those who have been made redundant.
In a particularly stellar display of not-giving-a-fuck-about-95%-of-the-population the government has announced plans to halve the notice period of redundancy from 90 days to 45 days. It is hoped this will make it easier for businesses and workers, although how it’s meant to make it easier for workers is left unclear. As far as I can see this will allow businesses (or their administrators if things have got that bad) to cut workers adrift sooner. If the business in question is in administration then I can see the attraction of wanting to shift the responsibility for those pesky workers and their inconvenient wages off themselves as soon as possible. It is however a completely twattish thing to do.
The current ninety days gives people more time to sort things out. It may also give them more money and more time to figure out what to do with that money. The suggestion made that it would help people get into another job faster is laughable. If someone is being made redundant and a new job comes along they will still be able to leave after the agreed notice period regardless of whether that is ninety days or not. Although it does seem to have escaped the government’s notice that this country is not exactly brimming with jobs at the moment.
Another silly suggestion was that fixed term contracts will just be left to run their course. That's just daft. What happens if the company has gone under and will cease trading long before the decided end date? As well as being ridiculous thse plans also don't appear to be particuarly well thought through.
A cursory glance at the reporting seems to suggest that this is part of a drive to ‘cut red tape’. I’m starting to become extremely wary of this phrase. It seems to stand for ‘removing people and positions to save money’ and ‘stack things even more against working people by removing layers of access.’
The TUC have said this is part of an extended attack on worker’s rights. I’m inclined to agree with them. This is a clear example of the needs of business and money makers being put before those of ordinary working people. This is a symptom of capitalism at its absolute worst. The only people who will benefit from this are those overseeing companies in administration as they will be able to wash their hands of people caught up in the trauma of redundancy quicker.
Out of touch or simply don’t care? Arguments can be made for both.
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