Reclaiming our Rights
How we can achieve universal rights for workers
07 June 2017
Sonia McKay, Professor of European Socio-Legal Studies at the Working Lives Research Institute, London Metropolitan University
Universality of rights ought to be a fundamental principle in law so as to protect all workers, no matter what type of contract they have. Employers should not be able to avoid their obligations under employment law simply by defining some groups of workers in such a way so as to be excluded from employment rights.
Eight ways to raise pay and protect us from over or under-work
05 June 2017
By Alan Bogg, Professor of Labour Law, the University of Oxford
Workers' rights and wage inequality have become a key political battleground this General Election following public outrage over the stagnation of real wage and the increasing gap between the haves and have nots. A TUC analysis released last summer showed that real wages fell by a massive 10.4% between 2007 and 2015 – the largest decline in the EU, matched only by Greece. But while average workers were feeling the squeeze, their bosses were flying high. FTSE 100 CEOs collected a 10% pay rise between 2014 and 2015 and now earn 183 times that of the average worker, according to the High Pay Centre.
This is how we can properly protect the health and safety of workers
26 May 2017
By Phil James, Professor of Employment Relations at Middlesex University; David Walters, Professor of Work Environment at Cardiff University; Steve Tombs, Professor of Criminology at the Open University; and David Whyte, Professor of Socio-legal Studies at the University of Liverpool
Too many workers and their families suffer from the failure of their employing organisations to provide safe and healthy working conditions. Injuries, acute and chronic ill-health and death occur all too frequently, also generating emotional and financial costs. Yet employing organisations are rarely held accountable for these outcomes. In fact, most of the associated costs are borne by those harmed and their families, and the taxpayer through the costs of paying benefits and providing health care.
What should the political parties be offering whistleblowers at work?
24 May 2017
Dave Lewis, Professor of Employment Law, Middlesex University
Dave Lewis, Professor Employment Law at Middlesex University and a whistleblowing expert looks at what is needed to strengthen the rights of whistleblowers and therefore the safety of workers and public alike. In our Manifesto for Labour Law - the Institute of Employment Rights' recommendations for reform - we argue that individual rights and protections like those covering whistleblowers are best strengthened through sectoral collective agreements, as well as at a statutory level. Our proposal that sectoral collective bargaining should be restored across the UK has been taken up by the Labour Party in their 2017 Manifesto.
7 employment rights you have lost under a Tory PM
18 May 2017
By Alex Just, employment law specialist
A Conservative Prime Minister has been in Number 10 since the Coalition government formed in 2010. Although Theresa May has described her party as "the party of workers", its track record on employment law has largely revolved around weakening protections at work. Here, we look at some of the rights workers have lost over the last seven years.
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