Labour introduces new workers' rights and union protections

The UK government has passed new laws to make it easier for workers to join trade unions. Wages for most workers are still lower than they were in 2008, while pay for the top ten percent has risen by over seven percent. Half of all British workplaces currently have no union at all. Workers who belong to a union earn around four percent more on average. Under the new rules, employers must let unions speak to staff in all workplaces, including care homes and fast food restaurants. It will also become easier to hold official votes on union membership, and workers will be able to vote online. A new government body, the Fair Work Agency, will check that employers follow the rules and can fine those who do not.