Theresa May U-turned at the CBI conference in London [Image: Andy Rain/EPA].

She never meant to publish plans for workers and consumers to be represented on company boards by the end of the year.

Her U-turn certainly shows that she doesn’t care for workers as much as it does for company bosses.

So the whole fabric of “one nation” or “caring” Conservatism is now in tatters and Mrs May’s Tories are revealed to be the creatures of naked greed that they always were.

They’re wearing the “Emperor’s new clothes”, rather than turning over a new leaf.

In her keynote speech at the CBI conference today (November 21), she said:

“While it is important that the voices of workers and consumers should be represented, I can categorically tell you that this is not about mandating works councils, or the direct appointment of workers or trade union representatives on boards,” the prime minister told a packed room in central London.

“Some companies may find that these models work best for them – but there are other routes that use existing board structures, complemented or supplemented by advisory councils or panels, to ensure all those with a stake in the company are properly represented. It will be a question of finding the model that works.”

But firms already have an obligation to ‘regard the interests of the company’s employees’, according to the Companies Act of 2006, which was passed by a Labour government.

Theresa May has given company directors an excuse to limit workers’ representation to what it is now.

This writer has seen such representation in action and it didn’t work; the good sense of the employees was drowned out by the greed of the bosses.

The decision not only harms the interests of working people; it harms the companies employing them, who could have benefited from their sensible input.

All because Theresa May is afraid of big business – not a kitten, more a corporate poodle.

Source: Theresa May: I won’t force companies to appoint workers to their boards | Business | The Guardian

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