The Observer view on the employment rights bill: workers finally get the protection they deserve

‘People on zero- or low-hours contracts will be entitled to move to a contract that reflects the hours they work.’ Photograph: Keith Morris/Alamy

The UK lingers far below the OECD average when it comes to employment protection. Research by the Centre for Business Research at the University of Cambridge highlights that UK labour laws are significantly less protective than in most other wealthy nations, and that the gap has got worse since 2010.

This has huge costs for millions of British employees who are forced to suffer the indignity of insecure work with no or very low sick pay, and very limited rights. So the fact that Labour has met its manifesto promise to set out a comprehensive package of legislation to improve worker rights within its first 100 days is welcome indeed.