The Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) raised concerns over the practice of firing and rehiring employees, which often leads to denial of individuals’ rights to redundancy, forcing them to face cuts to their terms and conditions.
It noted that some employers may use the ‘fire and rehire’ practice to force staff to accept lower wages, different hours, or other changes in working conditions.
It cited an example of a lawsuit in which Tesco lost a High Court battle when Usdaw won a case to protect workers from unfair tactics.
The PDA said although the trade union won the case, the practice of firing and rehiring can still be legal in some circumstances. However, it believes the practice is both immoral and unethical.
In several countries the tactic is illegal and there is a significant campaign to outlaw it in the UK as well, it said.
It recommended all employees to join an appropriate union so that they have support available in such situations.
