“Wales has the opportunity to lead the way on fair work”

3 May 2019 01:17 PM

New standards setting out what fair work means in practice should be developed to benefit everyone in Wales, and public money should be provided only to organisations who meet these standards, or are working towards them.

This is one of a series of recommendations from the independent Fair Work Commission, chaired by Professor Linda Dickens MBE. The commission looked carefully at a range of legislative, economic and other levers which the Welsh Government can use to drive forward fair work to help make Wales a more equal, fair and just society. 

Other recommendations include: 

• Fair work should be the responsibility of all Welsh Government ministers and departments.
• Public sector bodies should be actively and visibly fair work employers.
• Inward investors should be fair work organisations.
• Infrastructure projects and large capital investment projects should be Fair Work Wales projects.
• Social partnership working, involving trade unions and employers, is central to delivering fair work and the Welsh Government’s proposed Social Partnership Act should reflect the commission’s recommendations.
• The Welsh Government should implement a strategy to improve the effectiveness of existing rights enforcement in Wales and press the UK government for a stronger state inspection and enforcement regime with deterrent penalties.  

Professor Dickens recently said: 

Our definition of fair work is where workers are fairly rewarded, heard and represented, secure and able to progress in a healthy, inclusive environment where rights are respected.  

Important and often innovative steps have already been taken in Wales and importantly, the Welsh Government recognises that fair work can help achieve a stronger, modernised and more inclusive economy. This is a real opportunity for Wales to lead the way as a great place in which to live, to work and to invest.

I want to thank all those who gave evidence to the commission and I hope this report will play a significant role in furthering the First Minister’s ambition of making Wales a more equal, fair and just society.

Housing and Local Government Minister Julie James recently said: 

I am very grateful to Professor Dickens and the whole panel for their effort and commitment; in producing an excellent report in a very short time. Their combined extensive background in employment relations and equality has helped produce this comprehensive report, which I will consider very carefully. We are committed to creating a better working future for everyone in Wales.

The Fair Work Commission was set up by the previous First Minister Carwyn Jones in 2018.