Two Cheshire East councillors are seeking assurances the council won't use fire and rehire as an employer, and it won't employ contractors who use the practice.

Cllr Laura Smith (Crewe South, Lab) and Connor Naismith (Crewe West, Lab) are also calling on council leader Sam Corcoran (Lab) to write to Prime Minister Boris Johnson demanding he outlaw fire and rehire.

The practice involves workers having to reapply for their jobs on worse pay, terms and conditions or face the sack.

So any Congleton person or contractor that works for the council, should not be subjected to this treatment, if the two councillors get their way.

A motion put forward by the two councillors to Wednesday's (October 20) meeting of the full council states:  "One in 10 workers have experienced 'fire and rehire' with BME workers facing this at twice the rate of white workers, since March 2020.

"A quarter of all workers have experienced a worsening of their terms and conditions – including a cut in their pay – since the pandemic began."

The two councillors said the PM, while condemning it, had 'continually refused to take action to outlaw the practice', meaning many workers had been forced to accept worse terms and conditions, so they were working longer hours for lower pay, 'with what can be devastating consequences for workers and their families'.

Councillors are being asked to support the motion, which also seeks to confirm the council has a procurement official practice 'that ensures we are working with contractors that have good employment, trade union, equality and environmental records'.

While the councillors were unable to name specific Congleton companies which use the controversial practice, they hope Cheshire East will rule themselves out from the post-pandemic employment tactic.

Hiring and firing has been an economic knock-on from the pandemic, and is feared to increase now that the furlough scheme has ended.

The council meeting it will be discussed during takes place at Macclesfield Leisure Centre on Priory Lane, eight-and-a-half miles from Congleton.

It starts at 11am on Wednesday, October 20. The Congleton public are welcome to attend.

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