07 September 2016

The University and College Union has welcomed 25 new policy proposals for the next Labour government that shift the focus of labour law to give workers a stronger voice.

Sally Hunt, General Secretary of the Union, described the Institute of Employment Rights' (IER) Manifesto for Labour Law as a "positive and informed contribution … to the debate on the future of labour law".

The Manifesto, authored by 15 leading labour lawyers and academics from some of the most prestigious universities in the UK, has as it principle aim a move towards negotiation between workers and employers on pay and conditions rather than allowing employers to decide their terms unilaterally – a practice that tends to keep wages low.

Using comparisons with some of the UK's strongest European competitors – including the EU's strongest economy Germany – the authors show how collective agreements at statutory and enterprise levels have been proven to reduce inequality and encourage economic stability, more so than the UK's practice of setting statutory minimums.

Sally Hunt said: "For too long, politicians and the media have treated trade unions as the enemy within. In contrast, this Manifesto places trade unions at the very heart of an industrial and economic revival, recognising the role unions play in delivering fairness at work and economic efficiency in the wider economy.

"Congratulations to the IER and its network of experts.”

Click here to read more about the Manifesto for Labour Law and the IER in raising awareness of alternative policies by purchasing your copy for just £10