UNION bosses are to launch a campaign to end businesses using ‘fire and rehire’ tactics at a conference in Halesowen tomorrow (Thursday).

The GMB Union kickstarts its End Fire and Rehire Charter at its Will Thorne House, Birmingham Road, offices, with speakers including Birmingham Erdington MP Jack Dromey, Trades Union Council Midlands regional secretary Lee Baron and Vanessa Roberts, GMB representative at British Gas.

The union claims since lockdown in March 2020, nearly one in ten workers have been threatened with fire and rehire – a practice which allows unscrupulous employers to make staff roles redundant then re-employ people on lower wages or tougher conditions.

GMB senior organiser, Stuart Richards, said: “GMB is bringing together colleagues from the Labour Party and trade unions to set out how we can tackle the huge injustice of fire and rehire.

“We will continue to fight to change the law, but we’re also taking the battle into workplaces.

“By working with our activists and organising our members, we will put our Workplace Charter to employers and secure vital protection for GMB Union members.”