Minister talks out Glasgow MP's bid to ban unpaid trial shifts

Andrew Griffiths , the UK Government Business Minister used a practice to scupper Private Members Bills by talking for so long the bill runs out of time.

Stewart McDonald Glasgow South SNP MP had presented the bill which he said would stop unscrupulous employers exploiting people desperate for work.

At its second reading in the House of commons Mr McDonald said bosses were talking advantage of people who often “don’t know their rights and can’t stand up for them”.

He said: “This practice hits the lowest paid and the lowest skilled in our economy and this is a Bill to protect the lowest paid and the lowest skilled.”

Mr McDonald had widespread cross party support for his Bill and was hopeful it would be passed.

He said he was surprised the Government talked the bill out.

The Government however said it did not believe there was a need for further regulation.

Mr Griffiths said: “I think that there is a very clear way in which we can do this without the need for further regulation because what is clear is that the law is already very, very clear on this point.”

He told of some practices he was horrified by.

He said he learned that a young man with autism had been stacking shelves for bargain store B&M for three or four days before he was sent home and received no pay.

The MP said he would never shop in firm’s the stores again.

He also said supermarket Aldi had advertised for 150 unpaid trial shifts when opening a new store in the north east of Scotland.

Mr McDonald said: “This cannot go on and today we have a chance to end it.”

After the bill failed Mr McDonald thanked everyone who had supported his effort and said he was not giving up.

He said: “After assuring me that the government would not talk out my Bill they have now done so.

“The Unpaid Trial Work Periods (prohibition) Bill is dead but the campaign to change the law continues.”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon she on twitter she was disappointed the bill was talked out.

She said she was “very proud of Stewart McDonald for the hard work and passion he brought to this important issue. Sorry that the bill was talked out but the issue will not go away.”

Mr McDonald said the minister who scuppered the Bill had advertised for an unpaid intern in his office.

He added: “Still can’t quite believe that a Minister who told me that current law stops unpaid work, then admitted to advertising and using unpaid workers in his own office, talked out a Bill that would’ve actually prevented unpaid work. I’ll be asking HMRC to look into his arrangements.”

Mr Griffiths said the post advertised was from 2012 and it was never filled.

Sarah Groom 29, local government worker, West End

“It’s pretty unfair on the person getting the trial, it’s exploitive of the workers, but then on the other hand it’s the employers who want to see if the worker is suitable for their needs.”

Dave Edmond, 64, electrician, Maryhill

“I would support the ban because it seems to be becoming more frequent that people are getting work for nothing, I think they’re taken a loan of people who are out of work. There’s no reasons why they can’t be paid for trials.”

Matthew Algias 22, student Partick

“I agree with it because, as a student I do know of people that get exploited. It’s competitive for young people to get experience right now, so they’re desperate and therefore employers take advantage of this by these unpaid work trials.” 

Kyle McGhee, 19, student, Drumchapel

“In the job I’m at I didn’t really get a trial, so I don’t know if it would’ve been hard work in the first trial and if you deserved to get paid for it. Yeah you should actually, you’re still going there and you’re taking the time out so you should be paid.”

Caroline Ingham, 54, student, Partick

“Yes I do, I think that in the current climate with employers using zero contracts, all of them are trying to get around the minimum wage, this is just another attempt to get free labour and I would question the validity of unpaid internships.”