Union rights are good for all

Criminal penalties should be imposed on bosses who blacklist workers, according to a new Manifesto for labour law.

The manifesto, written by the Institute of Employment Rights (IER) think-tank, was launched on June 28 with the backing of Unite, shadow chancellor John McDonnell and shadow trade union minister Ian Lavery.

Unite assistant general secretary, Gail Cartmail, welcomed the manifesto. Citing the recent compensation victory for 256 workers blacklisted by major construction firms, Cartmail stated that the manifesto’s policies would be instrumental in preventing blacklisting in the future if it was taken on by the next Labour government.

She said, “Bringing to court the major construction contractors who covertly and systematically blacklisted workers is an important chapter in the campaign to eliminate this pernicious discrimination.

“Yet everyone in the industry knows blacklisting persists. Tougher law is crucial but so is industrial collective strength. This publication addresses both and I welcome the recommendations.”

The 15 leading labour-movement lawyers and academics who authored the report, written as part of Labour’s Workplace 2020 consultation, also recommended forming a ministry of labour and reinstating collective bargaining across all sectors of the economy.

The authors noted that in Europe 62 per cent of workers are covered by collective bargaining agreements, rising to around 80 percent in Germany, compared to the 20 percent of workers covered in Britain.

Co-author Professor Keith Ewing said collective bargaining protections in the UK have been eroded over the decades.

“Policy over the last 35 years has focused on destroying collective bargaining, making it easier to hire and fire workers, provide them with insecure positions such as zero-hour contracts, and pay them low wages,” he said.

‘Low quality services’

“This has led to a business model reliant on churning out low-quality services and products and disposing of, rather than training, existing staff. We know this reduces productivity in our economy, and low productivity leaves us vulnerable to financial collapse.”

In the years to come Britain needs an industrial strategy in which trade unions have a proper place at the table, said shadow trade union minister Ian Lavery.

He said, “Historically, trade unions have played an essential role in bridging the gap between workers, employers and the state and as such are best placed to take a central position in future industrial relations strategies.

“We must work together if we are to build a strong economy that is truly resilient and sustainable.”

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said the report will inform future Labour policy, while Unite general secretary Len McCluskey was also vocal in his support for the IER’s proposals.

“We are delighted to support the IER’s Manifesto for labour law, which provides us with the policy framework we need to move forward with a more progressive agenda in 2020,” McCluskey said.

“Through comparison with some of the strongest European economies, the Institute has clearly demonstrated what we in the labour movement always knew – that trade union rights are a boon to the economy, not a ball-and-chain like the Tories would have you believe.”