Latest editorial
A UNION acting for two Scottish foster carers claimed a landmark victory yesterday when a tribunal recognised them as employees — a first in Britain.
The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) argued that foster parents James and Christine Johnson were employees of Glasgow City Council and should be entitled to basic rights such as protection from unfair dismissal and for whistleblowing.
The union took the case to an employment tribunal, which ruled that the level of control and mutuality of obligations meant the couple were clearly employees of the council.
The new Employment Rights Act is a step forward, but restoring collective bargaining and union power remains essential to tackling insecurity, outsourcing and low pay, says PAUL WHITEHOUSE
Labour’s long-promised Act has scraped through the Lords. While the law marks a step forward, its lack of collective rights leaves workers short-changed — and sets the stage for a renewed campaign for an Employment Rights Bill #2, argues TONY BURKE
Employment lawyer ALICE BOWMAN warns ‘day one rights’ include an undefined ‘initial period’ and the zero-hours contract fixes create baffling fixed-term loopholes. If the Bill doesn’t work properly and deliver, Labour is doomed
The Bill addresses some exploitation but leaves trade unions heavily regulated, most workers without collective bargaining coverage, and fails to tackle the balance of power that enables constant mutation of bad practice, write KEITH EWING and LORD JOHN HENDY KC