Cornerstone of the UK’s Employment Rights Act ‘in danger of becoming a dead duck’, says Unite boss
The government has asked its new employment rights watchdog to reduce the regulatory burden on business, it has emerged, a request that worker advocates said risks turning the agency into “a dead duck”.
The Fair Work Agency (FWA), which is being launched on Tuesday, is a cornerstone of Labour’s Employment Rights Act. It will bring together several existing labour enforcement bodies and its responsibilities will include policing the minimum wage, holiday pay and modern slavery.
At a recent meeting with civil society groups, Matthew Taylor, its incoming chair, listed the five priorities the Department of Business and Trade had laid out for the FWA in its first year. These included “thought leadership” and “reducing regulatory burdens”.
But experts and trade unions say that, rather than reducing regulation, a more robust approach and greater funding for inspections is needed.
Sharon Graham, the general secretary of Unite, which represents more than 1 million workers, said the priorities showed the agency was “in danger of being a dead duck before it even begins”.
“For too long, workers have borne the brunt of disreputable employers who have had carte blanche,” she said. “The government needs to urgently ensure that the FWA focuses its attention on bringing rogue bosses to heel rather than seeking ways to allow dodgy companies to continue bad behaviour.”
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