The Green Party of England and Wales has unveiled plans to introduce a £15 minimum wage for all workers, regardless of age, as part of a broader push to strengthen employment rights across the UK.
Under its proposed Worker’s Charter, the party aims to deliver the pay rise by April 2027, alongside sweeping reforms designed to reshape workplace protections and reduce income inequality.
Party deputy leader Zack Polanski said the proposals would go further than current government policy, arguing that existing reforms under Keir Starmer’s administration do not go far enough to protect workers.
The plan includes granting employees protection from unfair dismissal from their first day in a job, as well as banning zero-hour contracts and outlawing fire-and-rehire practices entirely.
At present, the UK minimum wage stands at £12.71 per hour for workers aged over 21, with lower rates for younger age groups. Labour had previously pledged to remove age-based pay bands, but ministers are reportedly considering delaying those changes amid concerns from businesses over rising employment costs.
The Green Party’s proposal would eliminate those age distinctions entirely, applying the £15 rate universally.
The charter also calls for public sector pay rises to match or exceed inflation, with a particular focus on boosting wages for the lowest-paid workers.
In addition, the party is advocating the repeal of legislation it describes as restrictive to trade unions, including laws introduced since 1979 under Margaret Thatcher, such as the ban on secondary industrial action.
Polanski said the reforms are intended to rebalance power in the workplace and strengthen workers’ rights across all sectors.
The proposals have drawn criticism from Labour, which maintains that its Employment Rights Act represents the most significant improvement to worker protections in a generation, including measures to regulate zero-hour contracts and tighten rules around unfair dismissal.
Opposition parties remain divided. The Conservative Party and Reform UK have both pledged to scrap Labour’s legislation, warning it could harm businesses and employment levels. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats have proposed an independent review to establish a genuine living wage across sectors.
The debate highlights growing tensions over how best to balance worker protections with economic competitiveness, as rising costs and labour market pressures continue to shape the UK’s employment landscape.