[IER] GFTU Gen Sec congratulates IER on 30 years of progress

Thu Jul 12 15:39:25 BST 2018

IER News Brief 12/07/18Follow us on Twitter 
news brief
Thursday 12th July 2018
The General Secretary of the GFTU, Doug Nicholls, has recorded a Happy Birthday message to the Institute of Employment Rights on the occasion of our 30th Anniversary Year.

As part of the year-long celebrations - which follow our greatest success so far: the adoption of our Manifesto for Labour Law as a blueprint for future employment legislation by the Labour Party - we are raising money to create new digital materials, develop our policy recommendations further, and generate a cash reserve to avoid repeat fundraising.

The IER is a charity and relies entirely on donations from those who wish to see an alternative to neoliberalist policy in the UK. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those who have helped us to meet our objectives over the past 30 years - financially or otherwise. However, we do still need your help... 

Please consider a one-off donation to the IER today - click here for more
Privatisation agenda hits the rocks
A cursory look at the IER's timeline of labour law developments reveals a sea of recent entries colour-coded blue for 'public sector and privatisation'. Since Carillion's devastating collapse in January, there has been a tide of public sector crises and criticisms of the government's outsourcing agenda.

First, the railways fell into chaos for weeks after bungled timetable changes; this week, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt's departure from post was celebrated by doctors who said he'd overseen failures in the NHS (although their cheers were short-lived; the new Health Secretary Matt Hancock is funded by an anti-NHS think tank that is now being investigated by the Charity Commission for political campaigning).

The inevitable parliamentary inquiries spurred by Carillion's collapse have also prompted shocking admissions by government Ministers. In recent weeks, the Prisons Minister confessed that Carillion won its facilities management contract with the Ministry of Justice because it significantly underbid for the work; while this week, the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee reported that the government was unable to provide evidence to show public sector outsourcing is justified or beneficial! Despite all of this, two more private firms with poor reputations and financial issues have just been offered contracts in the education and health sectors (see our timeline for more).

None of this is likely to surprise Professor David Whyte, who authored the IER's recent report on the Mythology of Business. In it, he provides the evidence that disproves neoliberal myths, such as that privatisation is cost-effective, that red tape restricts business, or that health and safety has 'gone mad'. Click here to access your free electronic copy if you are a paid subscriber, or purchase the report for just £6.
Subscribers receive all of our publications free and discount rates on our conferences. Subscribe now
 News and commentSupport the IER in its 30th Anniversary year
This year we are celebrating our forthcoming 30th Anniversary and we're appealing for your support. We hope to raise £30,000 to celebrate our 30 years and with these funds we will modernise our website and communications; promote our ideas through meetings, education packs, videos and animations; and establish a reserve to avoid repeat fundraising.
> click here to read full storyGet free access to music festivals and support the work of IER
The IER has teamed up with the Workers Beer Company to provide us with some much needed cash and our supporters with free festival tickets to popular events across the UK. Every hour of bar work volunteered by our supporters triggers a donation to the IER, which will help us continue to develop and raise awareness of our Manifesto for Labour Law. Volunteer bar workers also receive free beer tokens! 
> click here to email our office and express your interestCommittee criticises govt for "cost over quality" public sector outsourcing strategy
The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee has criticised the government for a "cost over quality" approach to public sector outsourcing.
> click here to read full story
 VIDEO: GFTU Gen Sec congratulates IER on 30 years of progress 
 CLICK THE IMAGE TO VIEW THE IER TIMELINE 
  Events London: Employment Law Update 2018
10 October 2018 - 09:30 - 15:40
Unite the Union, London
At this popular annual conference, leading lawyers, academics and trade unionists will discuss how employment law has developed over the year so far, how it can be expected to change in the future, and how workers can best be protected.
Speakers include Ian Hodson, Paul Scholey, Tim Roache, Prof Alan Bodd, Neill Todd, Dr Jo Grady, Dr Ewan McGaughey and Prof Keith Ewing
> click here to read more and book your placeLiverpool: Employment Law Update 2018
15 November 2018 - 09:30 - 15:00
Unite the Union, Liverpool
At this popular annual conference, leading lawyers, academics and trade unionists will discuss how employment law has developed over the year so far, how it can be expected to change in the future, and how workers can best be protected.
Speakers include Ian Hodson, Paul Scholey, Prof Alan Bodd, Neill Todd, Prof David Whyte, Catherine Hobby
> click here to read more and book your place
  PublicationsLabour 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.
> click here to read more and purchaseEurope, 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.
> click here to read more and purchaseThe 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.
> click here to read more and purchase8 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.
> Click here to read more and buy your copyTo unsubscribe, please contact sarah at ier.org.uk. 
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