We can only surmise (from the deliberate dropping of the clauses on maintaining workers’ right from the Brexit bill) Johnson is looking to bring worker’s rights in line with much lower USA standards rather than attempt to elevate them to those enjoyed in Scandinavia.
Here is a couple of examples:
Statutory Holiday Rights:
In the UK In the USA In Sweden
20 days 10 days 25 days
Maternity/Paternity Rights:
In the UK In the USA In Sweden
Males
10 days 60 days Share 480 days
Full pay Unpaid 80% pay
Females
130 60 days Share 480 days
Full pay Unpaid 80% pay
This leaves one with a number of questions.
Why are American workers’ conditions so incredibly poor? Is it due to lack of unionisation? Is it due to gross inequality? Why is the richest nation on earth so miserly with its workers?
How can Scandinavia afford to be so generous to its workers?
Why is Johnson so keen to undermine our workers’ rights instead of building on them to get them to Scandinavian levels? Could it be that he is in favour of increasing profits by exploiting workers? Surely not?
But then that is what the Tories consistently do, isn’t it? They put profit for the wealthy above people, don’t they?
At this time, with automation and AI, do we really need to be working so long and hard?
It really is a race to the bottom isn’t it?