MEMBER of Parliament for Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr, Steve Witherden, has tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) in Parliament protesting Oscar Mayer's "fire and rehire" tactics. 

He spoke in Parliament on the matter last week, calling for “clarity on the timescales for reforms for unfair dismissal.”

EDM 279 was tabled on October 21 and has since been signed by 32 Members of Parliament, including Wrexham MP Andrew Ranger. It also gathered support from five parties as well as from independent MPs.

The motion protests the company’s intention to alter contracts by removing fully paid breaks, eliminating enhanced payments, and ending days off in lieu for working bank holidays. 

It also commends the efforts of Unite the Union in advocating for its members and launching a multi-million-pound legal case regarding potential breaches of the Employment Agencies Act 1973, and urges the Government to expedite the implementation of promised legislation banning fire and rehire practices.

Mr Witherden said: “This motion puts on the Parliamentary record Oscar Mayer’s shameful attempt to force over a hundred of my constituents onto worse contracts and depreciate their pay.

"The government’s Employment Rights Bill will outlaw fire and rehire and bring about the biggest upgrade of workers’ rights in a generation, but employees need help now. My office is doing all it can to stand up for those affected.”

Andrew Ranger, Labour MP for Wrexham added: “I am proud to have sponsored this early day motion to acknowledge the strike by Oscar Mayer workers in my constituency, after visiting hundreds of them demonstrating in Wrexham earlier in the month.

"I want to see business and workers succeed together and I call again on Oscar Mayer to engage with workers and their representatives to come to a fair and ethical resolution.”

The UK Government are currently looking to outlaw fire and rehire tactics.

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A UK Government spokesperson said: "The government wants to end unscrupulous fire and rehire tactics that leave working people at the mercy of bullying threats.

"It is important that businesses can restructure to remain viable, to preserve their workforce and the company when there is genuinely no alternative, but this must follow a proper process based on dialogue and common understanding between employers and employees.

"Ending unscrupulous fire and rehire tactics means employees can be safe in the knowledge that terms and conditions negotiated in good faith can’t be ripped up under threat of dismissal.

"Employees will be able to plan and save for the future with security in their pay and terms. Good employers will also know that they will not be undercut by competitors who only engage staff under threat of the sack."

Oscar Mayer was approached for comment.