Draft Legislative Programme: Employment

ePolitix.com Stakeholders comment on the employment measures announced in the prime minister's draft Queen's speech.

Stakeholder response: Age Concern

To send a comment to Age Concern click here

Gordon Lishman, director general, said:

Equality
"We strongly agree with Gordon Brown that 'in 21st century Britain prejudice is no longer acceptable'. A public duty to promote equality will help but a legal requirement not to discriminate against older people when providing goods and services is also clearly needed. 

"Age discrimination is the most common form of prejudice in Britain. Goods and services providers, including the public sector, will not act to help stamp out age discrimination without legal pressure."

Workplace rights
"Giving every worker the chance to take time off for training sounds very positive but there has to be a change in employer attitudes towards older workers if this is to become a reality. Older workers are increasingly important yet are often denied opportunities to further their skills or retrain as schemes and budgets are often focused on their younger counterparts."

Extending flexible working
"Flexible working should also be extended to older people to help ease the transition into retirement. Our research shows that a third (31 per cent) of older workers say they plan to retire flexibly, yet in reality only seven per cent of recently retired people say they were able to do so."

Welfare reform
"Getting those who want to work back into the workplace is crucial but the government must ensure that people are given the practical support that they need. Our research shows that the government's provision of 'back to work' training programmes still do not fully meet the needs of older people."


Stakeholder response: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development



To send a comment to the CIPD, click here


Single Equalities Bill

Freda Line, CIPD diversity adviser, said: "A Single Equalities Bill offers an opportunity to simplify and clarify the plethora of different legislation affecting equality and diversity.  It also offers an opportunity to break down the false hierarchies that have grown up between different forms of discrimination.

"Extreme caution needs to be exercised before introducing any proposals to allow more positive action measures. There is a very fine line between positive action and the kind of US style affirmative action which has long been seen as inappropriate for the UK.  Getting this wrong will be counterproductive, potentially damaging workplace relationships and undermining the business case for diversity."

Agency workers

Mike Emmott, CIPD employee relations adviser, said: "It is disappointing that the government feels the need to bring forward legislation on this issue. Agency workers play a positive role in the UK labour market. 

"Many actively choose to work on an agency basis, preferring the combination of flexibility and rewards this approach offers. If legislation is to be enacted that reflects the current draft EU Directive, our research shows employers would resist a qualifying period of less than six months, but would be comfortable with a qualifying period between six and 12 months."

Stakeholder response: Federation of Small Businesses



To send a comment to the FSB click here

Alan Tyrrell, FSB employment chairman, said: "The announcement today puts small businesses in an impossible position. You can't have an extension of flexible working and at the same time clamp down on the means by which many small businesses cope with it, which is often through temporary workers.

"The current flexible working regime seems to be working, but the government should be cautious about extending it too far, which could be damaging to small businesses and, as a result, the millions of people they employ.

"Bringing in a whole new set of complicated employment regulations for temporary workers on top of that could make the situation untenable for many small businesses."


Stakeholder response: Unite

To send a comment to Unite, click here

Tony Woodley, joint general secretary of Unite, said: "Commitments given today that temporary and agency workers will no longer be treated like a second class workforce, and that young workers will benefit from training and apprenticeships show the government understands that exploitation at work must end, and recognises the value of real, lasting jobs to our communities.

"But these are tough times for working people and they are looking to their government to ensure they do not bear the brunt of the global economic downturn.  Living costs are spiralling, wages are standing still and the vulnerable are struggling to make ends meet yet all the while oil companies continue to pull in stratospheric profits. 

"A one-off windfall tax on oil profits would be a fair, popular redistribution of wealth and a reminder of why a Labour government protects those in need."