Trades Union Congress: Levelling Up

Lord McFall of Alcluith Excerpts

Wednesday 29th June 2022 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

I am sorry to tell the noble Lord that I just do not share this outdated methodology that, on the one hand, you have workers and, on the other, you have bosses. We are all working together for the good of the country. The thing about the trade unions in this country is that they are now a minority profession: only 13% of workers in the private sector and only half of those in the public sector are in trade unions. The reality is that they do not represent anybody.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord McFall of Alcluith)]

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Jones of Cheltenham, will make a virtual contribution.

[Lord Jones of Cheltenham (LD) [V]]

[Inaudible]—responsibility for good industrial relations, which are of course vital for a successful economy. On the subject of levelling up, would the Minister have a word with the boss of Sainsbury’s, whose annual salary has trebled to £3.9 million while he denies a living wage to many of his hard-working employees?