15 Jul 2024

3,000 voter poll shows huge backing across the political spectrum for improving protections at work

• TUC says making work pay is an urgent national priority as over half of voters say their financial circumstances are getting worse
• Voters say “being on the side of working people” is the most important quality for a political party

The TUC has today (Monday) published new polling which reveals overwhelming support for Labour’s New Deal for Working People.

The polling of more than 3,000 voters – conducted by Opinium on the day after the election – shows large-scale backing across the political spectrum for Labour’s flagship workers’ rights programme including among Conservative and Reform voters.

The poll also highlights widespread ongoing concerns over living standards. 

Support for workers’ rights 

The polling reveals: 

Real living wage: Three-quarters (77%) of 2024 voters support ensuring the national minimum wage rises to be a real living wage. This number rises to more than 8 in 10 (85%) for Labour, Lib Dem (86%) and Green (86%) voters and is hugely popular among 2024 Conservative (71%) and Reform voters too (77%).  

Unfair dismissal: Nearly 2 in 3 (64%) of all 2024 election voters support the day one right to protection from unfair dismissal – including 8 in 10 (81%) Labour voters, large numbers of Green (79%) and Lib Dem voters (70%), and a majority of Conservative (55%) and Reform (57%) voters.  

Sick pay: Nearly 7 in 10 voters (69%) back Labour’s plan to make statutory sick pay available from the first day of sickness – a number that rises to around 8 in 10 for Labour (80%), Lib Dem (79%) and Green (79%) voters with clear majority support from 2024 Conservative (60%) and Reform (69%) voters as well.  

Ban on fire and rehire: Two-thirds (66%) of voters support a ban on fire and rehire with large backing from 2024 Labour (78%), Conservative (63%), Reform (62%), Green (72%) and Liberal Dem (69%) voters.  

Ban on zero hours contracts: Nearly 7 in 10 (67%) voters support banning zero-hours contracts by offering all workers a contract that reflects their normal hours of work and compensation for cancelled shifts. This policy enjoys clear majority support among 2024 Labour voters (76%), Conservative voters (67%), Reform voters (72%), Green voters (71%) and Liberal Democrat voters (69%).  

And there is majority support for collective rights too, including:  

Union access to workplaces: 2024 voters by a margin over two to one (46% in favour, 19% against) support giving trade unions a right to access workplaces to tell workers about the benefits of joining a trade union. 

All of these policies are part of Labour’s plan to make work pay – which the TUC says will help improve the quality of work across the country.  

TUC analysis published last month showed that over 4 million UK workers are currently in precarious employment – a rise of nearly 1 million since the Tories took office.  

Making work pay  

The TUC says that boosting living standards by growing the economy and delivering the plan to make work pay is an urgent priority for the country.  

Over half (54%) of those polled by Opinium say their personal financial circumstances are getting worse.  

This number rises even higher for Labour (59%), Green (65%) and Reform (59%) voters – and even among Conservative voters, over a third (36%) say they feel they are getting worse off.  

Nearly 6 in 10 (59%) 2024 voters say the economy is getting worse – with only Conservative voters (61%) saying the economy is improving.  

Government on the side of working people  

When asked what was the most important attribute or quality for a political party – voters said being “on the side of ordinary working people” was the most important.  

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%).  

Commenting on the poll, TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak 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.” 

Editors note

- About the poll: The polling was conducted by Opinium between the 5 and 10 July 2024. It consisted of a nationally representative sample of 3,129 UK adults. The sample was weighted to be nationally and politically representative.  

https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-post-election-poll-shows-overwhelming-pu...