Ministers ditch manifesto pledge for workplace protection from day one

Leaders from business lobby groups welcomed the change, which followed days of behind-closed-doors meetings with the TUC, six unions and ministers at the Department for Business and Trade (DBT).

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In a joint statement, the lobby groups said the move was “crucial for business confidence to hire and to support employment, at the same time as protecting workers”.

A union source said the changes had been agreed to allow the bill to progress faster through the House of Lords, which has significantly delayed the legislation. It will mean the qualifying period for unfair dismissal will be reduced from two years to six months.

One senior union figure said: “If ping pong had gone beyond Christmas, sick pay from day one would have been lost from April, and other new rights could have been delayed beyond April 2027.”

Another called the agreement a “good outcome” that would enshrine workplace protections in law from six months of employment. “The Tories cannot come back in and just extend the period to two years.

“Bluntly, the biggest thing is there is no threat to delay the legislation - it will be in by Christmas and employers have to get behind that.”