05 August 2016

The Institute of Employment Rights’ (IER) Manifesto for Labour Law, already backed by Jeremy Corbyn’s team and several major unions, today received support from another key figure in the labour movement.

Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, welcomed the IER’s proposals and explained how they would help the union in its fight for fair pay and conditions for workers across the public sector.

The Manifesto, which was authored by 15 leading labour lawyers and academics from some of the UK’s most prestigious universities, includes 25 policy recommendations, among which reintroducing a Ministry of Labour, establishing sectoral collective bargaining across the economy, and repealing prohibitive laws such as the Trade Union Act are key.

"Collective bargaining at the level proposed by the Institute's impressive manifesto would mean that terms and conditions negotiated by UNISON would apply to UNISON members wherever there is public contracting,” Dave Prentis explained.

“That is extremely important as we have a growing number of members working for private companies and in the community and voluntary sector on public contracts.

"A fair wages clause in public contracts linked to existing collective bargaining would benefit, for example, thousands of outsourced care workers, cleaners, IT staff, benefit administrators and school dinner staff.

“It would mean fair terms and conditions for workers and public contracting, if it continues, would be on the basis of quality and not a race to the bottom on wages,” he said.

UNISON is the latest among a wide range of unions to support the Manifesto, including UNITE, GMB, NUT, BFAWU, CWU and FBU.

Click here to read more about the Manifesto and purchase your copy