1. Workers’ rights and Brexit
LO: To analyse and evaluate the impact on British Society if EU workers’ rights change after Brexit
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2. Contents Analyse the effect that Brexit may have on workers’ rights
Workers rights and Brexit
Contents
Analyse the effect that Brexit may have on workers’ rights
Explore current workers’ rights under EU law
Examine two case studies to consider the potential impact of Brexit on employment
Review a number of ‘expert opinions’ and individual perspectives on the impact of Brexit on workers’ rights
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3. How many UK citizens currently live abroad in countries in the EU?
Workers rights and Brexit
How many UK citizens currently live abroad in countries in the EU?
900,000
1.2 million
2.5 million
Thinking point:
Is this higher or lower than you thought?
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4. How many citizens from the EU are currently employed in the UK?
Workers rights and Brexit
How many citizens from the EU are currently employed in the UK?
2.37 million
3.5 million
1.68 million
Thinking point:
Is this higher or lower than you thought?
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5. Which job sector has the most EU citizens working in it?
Workers rights and Brexit
Which job sector has the most EU citizens working in it?
Public admin, education and health sector
Financial and business services 
Retail trade, hotels and restaurants sector
Thinking point:
What do you think will happen if we lose the EU citizens that do those jobs?
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6. How much income tax do EU workers contribute to the UK?
Workers rights and Brexit
How much income tax do EU workers contribute to the UK?
£15 billion
£10 billion
£20 billion
Thinking point:
What do you think will happen if we lose the income tax that EU workers contribute to the UK?
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7. What is the likely cost to UK businesses of losing some EU workers?
Workers rights and Brexit
What is the likely cost to UK businesses of losing some EU workers?
£2.7 billion a year
£4.5 billion a year
£6.2 billion a year
To put this figure into context it is around 1% of total income tax receipts.
Thinking point:
What do you think will happen to businesses if they start to lose money?
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8. Workers rights and Brexit
Think. Pair. Share.
Do you think that the rights of working people will be affected by Brexit? How?
Areas to consider:
Rights of different genders
Equal opportunities for people of different races, religion, culture, ethnicity.
Contractual obligations e.g. pay, hours etc.
Pensions and retirement
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9. Confederation of British Industry
Workers rights and Brexit
Confederation of British Industry
They want certainty for British businesses so that the UK economy can continue to grow.
They would like a customs union. This a single set of tariffs for goods imported from outside the EU…
…enabling tariff free trade within it.
It brings with it no obligations over freedom of movement, or payment.
It removes some of the heaviest trade barriers.
They also want a migration system which allows businesses to access the skills and labour they need to deliver growth.
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10. Trade Unions The TUC are worried about:
Workers rights and Brexit
Trade Unions
The TUC are worried about:
The government’s plans to bring EU laws into UK law. This matters because lots of workers’ rights come from the EU or rely on EU court judgements.
They want to keep all the hard-won workers’ rights that come from the EU, and to make sure that UK workers get the same rights as workers in the EU into the future
They want the government to guarantee the rights of EU citizens working in the UK, and those of Brits working abroad
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11. However… Workers rights and Brexit
After Brexit- The number of EU nationals working in the UK has reached a record level, figures from the Office for National Statistics show.
An estimated 2.38 million employees began work between July and September a rise of 112,000 compared with 2016 and the highest number since records began 20 years ago.
The immigration lobby group, Migration Watch UK, said the figures proved the UK would be able to maintain its appeal to EU citizens after Brexit.
It said fears of an exodus of EU workers were "nonsense".
Sources:
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12. Emma – Manager of a car manufacturing plant in Sunderland
Workers rights and Brexit
Emma – Manager of a car manufacturing plant in Sunderland
Sunderland has a large car manufacturing industry. I am very worried about Brexit and the impact that it might have on the car manufacturing business, Sunderland and the UK as a whole. If we don’t get a good trade deal with the EU then business is going to be badly affected and people in Sunderland will lose their jobs directly and indirectly.
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13. Robert – Works in a car manufacturing plant in Sunderland
Workers rights and Brexit
Robert – Works in a car manufacturing plant in Sunderland
Brexit shmexit. I have worked in this car manufacturing plant for the last 20 years. Some people are worried about Brexit and losing their jobs but I think the UK will be fine. We will now be free to make new trade agreements with countries outside the UK – they are already buying British cars and if they are cheaper than before than surely it is a market that is just going to keep growing.
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14. Workers rights and Brexit
Seasonal work
In the UK, fruit and vegetables on farms are mostly picked by EU workers during the summer. Since Brexit, there has been a drop in the number of workers. What will the impact of this be both now and in the future?
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15. Where do you stand? Big impact on British society
Workers rights and Brexit
Where do you stand?
Big impact on British society
Not sure of the impact on British society
Small impact on British society
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