Britain’s largest supermarket chain – Tesco – is “not unduly worried” by the Labour Party’s plan to introduce a new package of workers’ rights, the CEO said on Friday.
Labour promised to introduce the package if they win in the upcoming general election.
Tesco has approximately 270,000 employees in the UK, making it Britain’s biggest private sector employer.
Proposed Legislation
Opinion polls currently point to a Labour victory in the 4 July election and an end to 14 years of Conservative Party rule.
Labour has pledged to introduce legislation for its ‘New Deal for Working People’ within 100 days of taking office.
Proposed measures include banning ‘exploitative’ zero-hour contracts, ending so-called ‘fire and re-hire’ schemes and introducing universal basic rights, including parental leave, sick pay and protection from unfair dismissal.
Labour also plans to ensure the national minimum wage is a ‘genuine living wage’ with ‘discriminatory’ age bands removed.
‘Stability and Consistency’
Tesco chief executive Ken Murphy told reporters, “Many of the measures outlined in proposed legislation we’re already ahead of.
“We don’t have any minimum hour contracts, for example, in our business.
“So, I’m not unduly worried.”
Murphy said that legislation that looks after and protects the rights of workers is a “good thing.”
He added, however, that it needed to stimulate productivity, economic and job growth.
He said, “We will of course support the government in achieving those three things.
“Getting that balance right is always the key.”
Murphy said that regardless of which party wins the election what Tesco wanted was “stability and consistency.”
He said, “They are key attributes because they allow businesses to plan and to invest.”
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