Prime minister Theresa May should welcome a European Parliament call for any post-Brexit deal to protect current and future workplace rights of UK workers, the TUC has said. 

In a 5 April vote, MEPs backed a motion setting out the European Parliament’s position for the Brexit negotiations by 516 to 133. 

Although MEPs will not participate directly in the exit talks, they will have to vote in favour of the final deal for it to go ahead. At a press conference following the vote, Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament’s Brexit negotiator, said the vote meant that “the UK on the one hand and the [European] Commission on the other hand now know the position of the Parliament, what the red lines are.” The majority of the UK’s workplace health and safety laws originated in Europe. The TUC has challenged Theresa May to stick to her pledge that “not only will the government protect the rights of workers set out in European legislation, we will build on them” . 

Commenting after the European Parliament vote, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Workers’ rights must be at the heart of Britain’s deal with the EU. It must protect current rights, like paid holidays, equal pay, and fairness for agency workers. And it must guarantee a level playing field into the future, so working people in Britain don’t fall behind our European neighbours.” 

She added: “The prime minister should welcome the European Parliament’s commitment to workers’ rights in the UK. It gives her a great opportunity to put into action her promise to protect and enhance working people’s rights.  A strong agreement on rights at work must be the starting point for negotiating a good deal that works for business and working people.”