[IER] Govt action on fat cats too weak and destined to fail

[Sarah Glenister]

IER News Brief 15/06/18

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news brief

Friday 15th June 2018

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Following last week's revelation that the boss of homebuilder Persimmon took home £45 million last year, the government has announced new regulations <https://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=35b15c3cfe&e=71131c031b>  that it says will help to combat excessive executive pay.

But the new legislation, which boils down to a requirement for the UK's largest businesses to publish - and justify - the gap in pay between their highest and lowest earners, has been widely criticised as far too weak to combat the UK's rampant inequality. As General Secretary of the TUC, Frances O'Grady, put it: "Fat cat bosses are masters of self-justification and shrugging off public outcry."

Indeed, the gulf between the wealthy and the struggling made the news again this week, as the IPPR published its Power to the People report <https://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=14997ab35e&e=71131c031b> , which demonstrated that the share of wealth that went to the richest 1% surged by 134% between 1979 and 2014.

Covering similar ground to the IER's Manifesto for Labour Law <https://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=d8d78291b3&e=71131c031b> , the think tank also noted that income inequality had been brought about by a decrease in trade union membership and collective bargaining coverage.

In response, the IPPR repeated the recommendations of the IER's Manifesto <https://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=521af0842e&e=71131c031b> , including the need for a new Minister of Labour, the reinstatement of collective bargaining, and the reform of recognition laws to ensure unions can fairly represent their members in the workplace.

Those who are new to the proposals of the Manifesto - which has been adopted as a blueprint for reform by the Labour Party - can now watch our President Professor Keith Ewing provide an introduction to our ideas <https://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=0c540804ea&e=71131c031b>  in a speech he gave to the BFAWU conference this week.

On Thursday (14 June), Keith joined five other authors of the Manifesto to provide more detail on our recommendations at our Future for Labour Law conference. Our thanks to delegate Roger Jeary who wrote a report on the event that is now up on our website <https://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=1cb7ee1199&e=71131c031b> , where you can also download all the presentations given on the day.

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 News and comment

	

 30th anniversary <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/a445c496-c0c6-489d-86d5-33336f0515d9.jpg> 

	Support the IER in its 30th Anniversary year
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 Manifesto <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/95a3f90d-83e6-4ce0-b186-b01b05cc2f77.png> 

	VIDEO: Prof Keith Ewing addresses BFAWU conference 2018
IER President Professor Keith Ewing addressed the BFAWU conference, introducing delegates to our Manifesto for Labour Law - 25 recommendations for reform that have received wide support across the labour movement and political arena, alike, and which have been adopted by the Labour Party as a blueprint for future employment law. 
 <https://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=5342667ebe&e=71131c031b> > click here to read full story


 Low pay <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/c9de063b-cd73-4fc5-8d13-fb67b7e3e040.png> 

	Fat cat pay ratio requirements don’t go far enough
The government this week announced new legislation that will require the largest companies in the UK to report on and justify the pay ratios between the average worker and the highest earning ones.
 <https://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=ed9b3040dd&e=71131c031b> > click here to read full story


 Workers' rights <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/b1c726de-bf3c-454c-9dd0-50d42672c9ff.png> 

	IPPR repeats recommendations of IER
In a new report this week, think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) repeated the recommendations made by the Institute of Employment Rights (IER) for employment law reform.
 <https://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=88823f37ef&e=71131c031b> > click here to read full story


 Workers' rights <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/b1c726de-bf3c-454c-9dd0-50d42672c9ff.png> 

	Plumber is a 'worker' confirms Supreme Court
Gary Smith, a plumber who worked solely for Pimlico Plumbers for six years, was misclassified by the company as an independent contractor and was in fact a worker with employment rights, the Supreme Court has confirmed.
 <https://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=997e711863&e=71131c031b> > click here to read full story


 union rights <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/8a74e5d2-ba66-4faf-a08d-e7b95ed9b73b.png> 

	High Court judge agrees gig workers have human right to apply for collective bargaining
A High Court judge has agreed that couriers working for gig employer Deliveroo have a human right to apply for the creation of a collective bargaining unit.
 <https://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=a382cc84b8&e=71131c031b> > click here to read full story


 Low pay <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/c9de063b-cd73-4fc5-8d13-fb67b7e3e040.png> 

	Real wages remain stagnant
New figures from the Office for National Statistics this week revealed that real wage growth has remained stagnant after years of falling behind pre-recession levels.
 <https://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=c4e7f5d0c0&e=71131c031b> > click here to read full story


 Equality <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/41d5d27b-969b-4b55-bcb8-9a0e910471e3.png> 

	Labour floats new sexual harassment at work protections
Speaking at the BFAWU conference this week, leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn vowed to clamp down on sexual harassment in the workplace.
 <https://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=93fecdb33f&e=71131c031b> > click here to read full story


 Public sector <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/e80db0b0-be8d-47c8-8d7d-05383e5cbcb3.png> 

	Most Britons want railways to be renationalised, poll shows
A new poll for The Independent has found that most people living in the UK want the railways to be renationalised.
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 Aristea <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/97a49110-9f45-419e-8d51-873229d34792.png> 

	COMMENT: Regulating supply chains – reclaiming our rights
Aristea Koukiadaki of The University of Manchester explains how the structuring of contemporary production methods has created an environment that is conducive to worker exploitation.
 <https://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=51852d6929&e=71131c031b> > click here to read full story


 Sarah Veale <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/5936a345-d9ad-438d-a204-94b7975b752c.jpg> 

	COMMENT: What are the barriers to improving union recognition in the workplace?
Sarah Veale explains why union recognition rights must be made stronger and how this could best be achieved.
 <https://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=da9973004c&e=71131c031b> > click here to read full story

 




	

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	Many thanks to all who attended our packed Future for Labour Law conference this Thursday 14 June in London.

Six employment law experts, who form part of our Manifesto for Labour Law team, explained in detail the recommendations that the Institute of Employment Rights has made and which have been adopted by the Labour Party as a blueprint for future employment law.

Click here to read Roger Jeary's report on the conference and download all speaker presentations <https://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=715e5b175e&e=71131c031b> . 





	

 



	

  Publications

	

 Labour Law Highlights 2017 <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/83275f98-1622-49e2-9a36-0ac77fd205ea.jpg> 

	Labour Law Highlights 2017: £8
Edited by Rebecca Tuck
Catch up with the most important case law developments in 2017 in the latest of our popular Labour Law Highlights series.

In this year’s Labour Law Highlights, a team of barristers from Old Square Chambers returns to assess how each of these events has impacted upon case law in the last 12 months, including clarification from the courts on the requirements of the Trade Union Act in practice, the flurry of tribunal hearings regarding ‘gig’ workers, and further decisions on the rights of workers required to take "sleep-in" shifts. In each case, they provide commentary on the potential wider implications of tribunal decisions.
 <https://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=68744448c0&e=71131c031b> > click here to read more and purchase


 Europe, the EU and Britain <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/ffa54ac8-9d49-4559-9d3d-1042aaacbe0b.jpg> 

	Europe, the EU and Britain: Workers' Rights and Economic Democracy: £8
Notes from a seminar by the Institute of Employment Rights and the Marx Memorial Library
On 01 July 2017, labour movement leaders from across Europe met at the Marx Memorial Library, London, to discuss how a progressive future for workers’ rights can be sought following the UK’s vote to leave the EU. This report documents the meeting, including the transcripts of each presentation, as well as notes on the discussion between panel and delegates on the day.
 <https://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=d03fc96332&e=71131c031b> > click here to read more and purchase


 CB Europe <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/89596b4b-fb8c-466d-974a-89baa936f609.jpg> 

	The Legacy of Thatcherism in European Labour Relations: The Impact of the Politics of Neo-Liberalism and Austerity on Collective Bargaining in a Fragmenting Europe: £8
By Miguel Martinez Lucio, Aristea Koukiadaki and Isabel Tavora
As the UK prepares to leave the European Union, this analysis – the 11th in our Comparative Notes series – shines a light on the deleterious effect of the nation's deregulatory influence on the bloc.
 <https://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=c1937037a8&e=71131c031b> > click here to read more and purchase


 CB in Social Care <https://gallery.mailchimp.com/f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3/images/f5cd005c-17c2-4c04-bd1f-452d91c64d61.jpg> 

	8 Good Reasons Why Adult Social Care Needs Sectoral Collective Bargaining: £8
By Dr Lydia Hayes
In this booklet, Dr Lydia Hayes sets out the lessons learned from her interdisciplinary research into the social care sector, and builds upon the recommendations made in the Institute of Employment Rights' Manifesto for Labour Law: a comprehensive revision of worker’s rights to propose a sectoral collective bargaining structure for the negotiation of wages and conditions.
 <https://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=7d59cc7dbc&e=71131c031b> > Click here to read more and buy your copy



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