Exclusive:
London Mayor Sadiq Khan writes for the Mirror on how his early experiences shaped his support for trade unions – and why he is ‘proudly pro-unions and pro-business’
When it comes to securing higher pay and improved conditions for working people, there is no more effective force than the trade union movement.
As Mayor of London, I’ve seen first-hand the difference unions make – standing up for their members across our city and pushing for fair wages and better workplaces. But my respect and admiration for our trade unions – and everything they do for our capital’s key workers – existed long before I was elected to City Hall.
Growing up on a south London council estate, I saw how my dad – a bus driver – benefitted hugely from being a trade union member. While my mum, who worked as a seamstress and wasn’t unionised, missed out.
My dad got a solid, regular wage, as well as good terms and conditions from his employer, precisely because he had union reps going in to bat for him. And one day, when he was assaulted at work, the union even intervened on his behalf to make sure he was given time off to rest and recover before he had to get back behind the wheel.
These early experiences – of seeing a trade union fight the corner of a working-class family – left a lasting impression on me. They convinced me of the vital role unions have to play in our society as advocates for working people.
There’s no doubt in my mind that life today would be much harder for your average household were it not for the gains made by the trade union movement. From weekends and annual leave, to maternity and sick pay, trade unions have helped to win so many of the rights we now take for granted.
That’s why, in the run-up to Valentines Day this week, I’m showing the trade union movement some love and backing the TUC’s HeartUnions campaign, which is all about celebrating the good that trade unions do and encouraging more people to join.
It’s also why, as Mayor, I’ll continue to be both proudly pro-unions and pro-business. Unfortunately, some people think there’s a tension – or contradiction – between these positions.
But in London, we’re proving that’s not the case and demonstrating it is possible to be an ally of unions and employers at the same time. Since 2019, we’ve been rolling out something called our Good Work Standard (GWS), which more than 160 of London’s employers have now voluntarily signed-up to.
Developed in partnership with trade unions and business, the GWS sets the benchmark for the best employment practices in our city. It works by recognising businesses and other organisations as GWS employers once they’re delivering on a series of commitments, including paying the London Living Wage, providing secure contracts, supporting workplace wellbeing and investing in skills, opportunities and progression for their workers.
Currently, more than 300,000 Londoners are covered by the GWS in sectors ranging from retail and construction, to hospitality, transport, football and social care. It means higher wages, proper job security and stronger protections for employees.
But it’s also been a great deal for employers too. Not only have they seen better recruitment and retention of staff, but they’ve also found a happier and healthier workforce is a more productive and profitable one.
This is why promoting the Good Work Standard and the London Living Wage has been central to my administration’s efforts to build a better London for everyone – a city that is fairer, more affordable and more prosperous for all. And I’m delighted that since I became Mayor in 2016, we’ve seen a six-fold increase in the number of employers paying the London Living Wage.
Behind this statistic are stories of everyday Londoners whose lives have improved immeasurably. Londoners, like Jodi, a van driver, who is able to spend more time with his children at weekends instead of juggling two jobs because he now gets paid the London Living Wage.
His example shows politics can still be a force for good. And it also underlines why Labour’s New Deal for Working People is so important. This set of national policies – including the Employment Rights Bill – offers a golden opportunity to replicate London’s success with the Good Work Standard on a countrywide scale.
It’s why we must oppose any effort to water down this legislation from the same siren voices who opposed the minimum wage. Fair pay, secure jobs, safe workplaces and proper rights for working people should always be non-negotiable.
In London, we’re now updating the GWS to ensure we’re striving for the highest employment standards. With the help of trade unions, we’ve proven such policies are a win-win for employers and employees.
And by implementing the New Deal for Working People in full, Labour can do the same nationally – banning exploitative zero hours contracts once and for all, ending fire and rehire, and making work pay.
This is the kind of ambition our capital and country desperately needs: a real plan to level-up workers’ rights so they’re fit for the 21st Century. Now it falls to all of us – politicians, trade unions and businesses – to get on with the job and deliver it together.
