[IER] New manifesto analyses - what the major parties are saying on workers' rights

Fri May 26 17:57:00 BST 2017

IER News Brief 26/05/17

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news brief

Friday 26th May 2017

  <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/42bef9e9-0080-4d3d-9334-2e260fdb3b8d.gif> 

The three major parties' manifestos are now out and the Institute of Employment Rights has been busy analysing the workers' rights pledges of each as well as putting forth recommendations of our own.

As part of our new Fact News hub <http://www.ier.org.uk/factnews> , employment lawyer Alex Just has made a series of videos <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL3dMPFjL1k&list=PLAYAhPCF71UbQqUYaBEcrzV-t_yulgitb>  taking an indepth look at the Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Labour Party manifestos. You can also read about the Conservative <http://www.ier.org.uk/news/what-are-facts-around-theresa-mays-new-deal-workers>  and Liberal Democrat <http://www.ier.org.uk/blog/what-will-and-wont-lib-dems-do-workers>  Manifestos in more detail on our website.

The BBC also reported this week that the Taylor Review will include a proposal to provide workers on zero-hour contracts "the right to request" guaranteed hours. The TUC called the offer "virtually worthless" and we explain why <http://www.ier.org.uk/news/right-request-zero-hours-contracts-worthless-most-vulnerable-workers> , as well as putting forth recommendations from our Manifesto for Labour Law <http://www.ier.org.uk/manifesto>  as to how we can prevent the exploitation of workers through the use of zero-hours contracts.

See our News and Comments section below for more from our Fact News Hub this week, on which we have hosted commentary, analysis and recommendations from academics and lawyers from across the UK. 

Subscribers receive all of our publications free and discount rates on our conferences.  <http://www.ier.org.uk/subscribe> Subscribe now

 News and comment

 ZHCs <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/cf3c70ae-025a-4aaa-9acb-555c611bdd4e.jpg> 

	Right to Request Zero Hours Contracts "worthless" to most vulnerable workers
The BBC has reported that Matthew Taylor – Head of the government’s ongoing review into employment law and the “gig” economy – will recommend providing workers on zero-hour contracts with ‘the right to request’ guaranteed hours.
 <http://www.ier.org.uk/news/right-request-zero-hours-contracts-worthless-most-vulnerable-workers> > click here to read full story

 Fact News <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/8d9420d1-578f-4abb-83a5-8d712e28fd4f.gif> 

	What will (and won't) the Lib Dems do for workers?
Workers’ rights are a key policy battleground this election and here at the Institute of Employment Rights’ Fact News Hub, we’re giving you the lowdown on different party’s manifesto pledges on the topic.
 <http://www.ier.org.uk/blog/what-will-and-wont-lib-dems-do-workers> > click here to read full story

 Reclaiming our Rights <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/2d70c65f-01bf-486d-b4a8-6be3c40a6a55.jpg> 

	FACT NEWS: This is how we can properly protect the health and safety of workers
Professors Phil James, David Walters, David Whyte and Steve Tombs putforth detailed recommendations for the reform of health and safety law they developed as part of our Manifesto for Labour Law project.
 <http://www.ier.org.uk/blog/how-we-can-properly-protect-health-and-safety-workers> > click here to read full story

 Ozlem Onaran <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/0272ccaa-37be-4f2a-bffe-00ec09201781.jpg> 

	FACT NEWS: Strong and stable economy? Forgotten macroeconomics in the manifesto debate
Economist Özlem Onaran analyses the expected impact of both Conservative and Labour Party manifesto pledges on the UK’s economic productivity – a key issue this election, as the nation’s productivity gap with its major G7 competitors is now at its widest point on record.
 <http://www.ier.org.uk/blog/strong-and-stable-economy-forgotten-macroeconomics-manifesto-debate> > click here to read full story

 Giving Workers' a Voice <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/59e2a574-1835-421f-a8e4-b0cdae234537.jpg> 

	Can Theresa May Be Taken At Her Word? The Case Of Worker Directors
Gregor Gall, Professor of Industrial Relations at the University of Bradford, takes a more detailed look at the Tory proposal for workers on company boards.
 <http://www.ier.org.uk/blog/can-theresa-may-be-taken-her-word-case-worker-directors> > click here to read full story

 Reclaiming our Rights <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/2d70c65f-01bf-486d-b4a8-6be3c40a6a55.jpg> 

	What should the political parties be offering whistleblowers at work?
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.
 <http://www.ier.org.uk/blog/what-should-political-parties-be-offering-whistleblowers-work> > click here to read full story

 Enforcing our Rights <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/1169da14-9c60-4da5-8a35-892ebab5b9d5.jpg> 

	FACT NEWS: Improving Enforcement of Workers’ Rights
Both the Labour Party and Liberal Democrats have included in their Manifestos a promise to scrap Employment Tribunal (ET) fees. But what has been the impact of the fees and how can the enforcement of workers' rights be improved? Professor Michael Ford QC puts forward some recommendations.
 <http://www.ier.org.uk/blog/improving-enforcement-workers%E2%80%99-rights> > click here to read full story

 Giving Workers a Voice <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/59e2a574-1835-421f-a8e4-b0cdae234537.jpg> 

	FACT NEWS: The Tory manifesto and the absence of voice
Miguel Martinez Lucio, Professor of International HRM & Comparative Industrial Relations at the University of Manchester, analyses the Conservative Party manifesto insofar as it falls short of providing democracy to workers.
 <http://www.ier.org.uk/blog/tory-manifesto-and-absence-voice> > click here to read full story

 FACT NEWS VIDEOS 

 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZ9HEnVDJ2I> 

 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBwL9a3SY-Y> 

 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30AphBy9S30> 

  Publications

 LLH2016 <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/815fda47-e4b4-4148-a3e2-81af67efe0a4.jpg> 

	Labour Law Highlights 2016: £8
Edited by Rebecca Tuck
This year’s Labour Law Highlights is produced against the backdrop of a Brexit vote in the UK and a Trump victory in the USA. It promises to be a bumpy ride ahead!
 <http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/labour-law-highlights-2016> > click here to read more and purchase

 Health and Safety Time for Change <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/afdba51d-b908-42ab-8241-ddca46df52ce.jpg> 

	Health and Safety at Work Act: Time for Change: £10
By Phil James and David Walters
The world of work is changing. Fast. But the framework of law tasked with protecting the health, safety and well being of workers is now 50 years old and – according to the authors of this report – no longer fit for purpose. The authors put forth proposals for reform
 <http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/health-safety-work-time-change> > click here to read more and purchase

 EU Developments <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/fb25d1db-2c1e-4d50-8d47-17dc166f146f.jpeg> 

	Access to Justice: Exposing the myths: £6
By Andrew Moretta
In the second of IER’s series of Mythbusters, Andrew Moretta considers the many myths surrounding access to justice, including the narrative surrounding the “red tape” and “burdens on business” ideology, which he believes paved the way for systematic attacks on the tribunal system.
 <http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/access-justice-exposing-myths> > click here to read more and purchase

 Kill the Bill <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/3a996d1c-1459-4dfb-81b8-8901488dad8a.jpg> 

	Protect the right to strike: kill the bill: £5
By John Hendy QC & Professor Keith Ewing
Two leading experts on trade union rights – Professor Keith Ewing and John Hendy QC – publish a short but comprehensive overview of the Trade Union Bill and its implications.
 <http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/protect-right-strike-kill-bill> > click here to read more and purchase 

 Ballot Thresholds <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/cee8b19e-c2dc-452d-a284-b14209fbf568.jpg> 

	The Conservative Government’s proposed strike ballot thresholds: The challenge to trade unions: from £6
By Professor Ralph Darlington and Dr John Dobson
According to the authors of this timely report, the government is attempting to rush into law ‘the most sweeping and radical tightening of rules on industrial action since the Thatcher era of the 1980’s’. They warn that such proposals could result in ‘the biggest showdown over industrial relations for a generation’ and go on to drill down into one aspect of the government’s proposals – strike ballots.
 <http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/conservative-government%E2%80%99s-proposed-strike-ballot-thresholds-challenge-trade-unions-0> > click here to read more and purchase 

 Keithe Ewing <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/6ac2ddd4-6bd6-4c3f-81ad-06fdb882171c.jpg> 

	The mythology of business: from £6
By David Whyte
The ‘myths’ that this publication takes into consideration are the kind of things that politicians now routinely say without thinking. Yet these 10 myths have very little foundation in reality and are rarely, if ever, accompanied with any concrete evidence to support them.
 <http://www.ier.org.uk/publications/mythology-business> > click here to read more and purchase 

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