Jon Pearce: Backing High Peak workers this May Day

I hope everyone across High Peak enjoyed the May Day Bank Holiday weekend. Whether you spent it with family, catching up with friends, enjoying the amazing hospitality of our local businesses or simply enjoying some well-earned rest, I hope it brought a chance to recharge after a busy start to the year.

May Day has always carried a deeper meaning too. It is not only a welcome spring bank holiday, but a time historically associated with the dignity of work, the contribution of working people and the importance of fairness in the workplace.

Last week was also International Workers’ Memorial Day, marked each year on 28 April.

It is a day to remember all those who have lost their lives through workplace accidents or illness, and to stand with those whose lives have been permanently changed by injury, poor conditions or unsafe practices.

It is also a day with an important message for the future: every death, every serious injury and every avoidable illness should strengthen our resolve to improve standards, learn lessons and prevent harm.

Across our country, people go to work each day to provide for themselves and their families. They deserve the confidence that they will be looked after and return home safely.

That principle should unite us all: no job should come at the cost of health, wellbeing or life itself.

It is why I am proud to have helped steer through Parliament the biggest upgrades to workers’ rights in a generation.

These new laws include reducing the two-year wait for unfair dismissal protections, so employees can gain rights after six months of service. They introduce day-one eligibility for statutory sick pay, paternity leave and unpaid parental leave. And they provide stronger protections for pregnant women and new mothers, alongside improved bereavement leave.

The Act also tackles exploitative zero-hours contracts and improves protections for agency workers who too often have been left with insecurity and uncertainty.

Alongside this, Labour has increased both the minimum wage and the National Living Wage, helping ensure that work pays and that people are properly rewarded for the contribution they make.

These are practical changes that will make a real difference to families here in High Peak. They mean more security, more fairness and more money in their bank accounts.

Sadly, not everyone supported these improvements. Reform and the Conservatives voted against the Employment Rights Bill. At a time when many workers face rising costs and want greater security, I believe that was the wrong choice.

High Peak is built on the efforts of working people – from our manufacturers and engineers to care staff, teachers, shop workers, hospitality teams and the self-employed. Our communities thrive because of hard work.

As we come out of the May Day weekend, it should remind us of something simple but important: the people who keep our country going deserve respect, decent treatment and safe workplaces. And that’s what motivates me every day when I am working hard on their behalf.