Amazon and Asda accused of 'exploiting and dehumanising' workers by Jeremy Corbyn
2 min read
Jeremy Corbyn has accused five major firms including Amazon and Asda of having "exploited and dehumanised" their workers.
The Labour leader named the big-name employers alongside Uber, Sports Direct and ISS as he pledged a crackdown on "bad bosses" if his party wins the election.
Mr Corbyn said the five companies, which between them employ tens of thousands of people across the UK, had stripped workers of their "rights and dignity".
Labour said Amazon employees had been "forced to endure appalling health and safety standards, low pay and extreme workloads", and pointed to a 2016 report by a Commons committee accusing Sports Direct of failing to pay staff the national living wage.
The party slammed supermarket giant Asda for forcing workers to sign new contracts which resulted in poorer working conditions, and accused outsourcing giant ISS of failing to "respect basic rights or pay its workers’ properly".
Meanwhile, Labour also highlighted the favct that taxi-hailing app Uber has lost its licence to operate in London because of its failure to ensure the safety of customers and bad employment practices.
Mr Corbyn said: "The Conservatives are on the side of bad bosses who have exploited, ripped off and dehumanised workers.
"We'll call time on insecure and unsafe work that leaves people without the rights and dignity they deserve. We'll call time on discrimination in the workplace that leaves women vulnerable to harassment and unequal pay."
He added: "And we'll call time on the running down of workers' rights to organise collectively to boost their pay and improve their working conditions.
"It's workers who are the real wealth creators. Labour will be on your side."
Mr Corbyn has already clashed with Sports Direct CEO Mike Ashley after he branded him a "bad boss" at the launch of Labour's election campaign last month.
But the retail boss hit back at the criticism, branding Mr Corbyn "clueless" and a "liar".
Labour's Shadow Employment Rights Secretarty, Laura Pidcock, added: "So many people's working lives are dominated by low pay, insecurity and powerlessness. It is a sign of this broken system that many people, and not just the lower earners, are forced to top up their monthly wage with debt, just to cover their living costs.
"As our economy has flat lined, wages have stagnated. People are, on average, paid less that they were 10 years ago. This is a scandal that must end. The Labour Party is the only party that is committed to eradicating in-work poverty within the next Parliament.
The Conservative Party has been approached for comment.
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