In what is a major u-turn a few days after presenting its electoral manifesto, the Labour Party is no longer seeking to mandatory union membership for workers – at least according to the deputy prime minister.

Answering a question today, Chris Fearne said that the mandatory union membership proposal on the PL’s electoral programme does not force workers to join a union, but rather it seeks to protect the rights of workers who “fear joining a union,” he said, replying to a question by the media today.

The current PL proposal implies that workers will be obliged to join a union, as it says that in principle the PL agrees with such mandatory membership (see screenshot below).

Fearne said that the proposal will not be imposed but the government will be discussing the matter with unions and stakeholders.

The proposal will ensure that worker’s rights are addressed so that every citizen who wants to join a union can do so, he said.

This morning, employers’ associations demanded that the government withdraws the proposal.