TRANSPORT UNION RMT today slammed Vince Cables attack on workers’ rights and warned that as well as opening the door to a vicious “hire and fire” culture he is also giving a green light to a massive increase in social dumping that will allow companies to hire in workers from abroad to undermine pay and conditions.

The Cable announcement doesn’t just mean getting rid of workers more easily, it also means having a ready supply of low-cost labour to fill minimum wage jobs. This is where the highly secretive Mode 4 trade agreement comes in. Getting rid of workers and replacing them with Contractual Service Suppliers - workers sent in by Indian companies, to work in any firm or public service at rock bottom rates.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

“Not content with opening up the widest gap between rich and poor since Victorian times, Vince Cable and the ConDems now want to drag us back to days of hire and fire where workers have to grovel to the boss for the right to earn a days’ pay.

“This assault on worker’s rights is being driven by the bosses organisations and the old guard right of the Tory Party. Vince Cable has completed his journey from the man who allegedly predicted the collapse of the banks to an out-rider for the return of Thatcherism.”

“In addition, last year Business Secretary Vince Cable won a concession from the coalition to exclude from any cap on foreign workers coming in under ‘intra-company’ transfers, also known as Mode 4. This process displaces workers in the UK and drives down wages.

“Under the proposed EU/India Trade Agreement companies would be allowed to bring in cheap labour and in return European corporations would have access to Indian retail and financial markets increasing job losses and exploitation here and in India and Vince Cable is the main Government advocate of that project.”