Jessica BirdThe TUC has published polling that reveals overwhelming support for the Labour Party’s New Deal for Working People.
The poll of more than 3,000 voters, conducted by Opinium on the day after the General Election, showed large-scale backing for Labour’s flagship workers’ rights programme, including among Conservative and Reform voters.
Three-quarters (77%) of voters supported ensuring the national minimum wage rises to the level of a real living wage.
This rose among Labour (85%), Lib Dem (86%) and Green (86%) voters, but was highly popular among Conservative (71%) and Reform (77%), too.
Nearly two-thirds (64%) of all 2024 election voters supported the day one right to protection from unfair dismissal – including Labour (81%), Green (79%), Lib Dem (70%), Conservative (55%) and Reform (57%) voters.
69% backed Labour’s plans to make statutory sick pay available from the first day of sickness – rising for Labour (80%), Lib Dem (79%) and Green (79%) voters, with majority support from 2024 Conservative (60%) and Reform (69%) voters as well.
Two-thirds (66%) of voters supported a ban on fire and rehire with large backing from 2024 Labour (78%), Conservative (63%), Reform (62%), Green (72%) and Liberal Dem (69%) voters.
A similar number (67%) supported banning zero-hours contracts by offering all workers a contract that reflects their normal hours of work and compensation for cancelled shifts.
This policy enjoyed clear majority support among 2024 Labour voters (76%), Conservative voters (67%), Reform voters (72%), Green voters (71%) and Liberal Democrat voters (69%).
2024 voters, by a margin over two to one (46% in favour, 19% against), supported giving trade unions a right to access workplaces to tell workers about the benefits of joining.
More than half (54%) of those polled said their personal financial circumstances are getting worse.
This number rose for Labour (59%), Green (65%) and Reform (59%) voters – and even among Conservative voters, 36% felt they were getting worse off.
Nearly six in 10 (59%) 2024 voters said the economy was getting worse – with only Conservative voters (61%) saying the economy is improving.
Among all voters in the 2024 election, Labour was rated highest for on being on the side of working people (49%) – with the Conservatives scoring lowest (20%).
Paul Nowak, general secretary at the TUC, said: “British voters across the political spectrum want work to pay and to feel secure and respected in their jobs.
“Labour’s workers’ rights plans are hugely popular, and this poll should give ministers confidence to get on with delivering them in full.
“Working people want a government that is on their side and that will improve the quality of work in this country.
“After 14 years of stagnating living standards, the UK needs to turn the page on our low-rights, low-pay economy that has allowed good employers to be undercut by the bad.
“It’s time to make the country work for working people again.”
Adam Drummond, research director and partner at Opinium, said: “There’s strong support for pro-worker policies we tested including living wage, unfair dismissal, sick pay, banning zero-hours contracts and banning the practice of fire and rehire.
“Crucially this isn’t just among Labour voters but typically also among supporters of other parties including the Conservatives and Reform.
“While Labour is generally more trusted than distrusted when it comes to making working life better and being on the side of working people voters will need to see them deliver.”
