Making Wales a Fair Work Nation
Add this to the potential impact of Brexit, automation and Universal Credit and we have a toxic mix. We need action now – we need to make work fairer.
Creating a Fair Work Nation will:
- Tackle low pay in Wales’ labour market
- Stamp out illegal and unsafe employment practices and labour exploitation
- Establish a union-led approach to lifelong learning
- Address restrictions on the activities of trade unions by employers receiving public money
What can we do to make Wales a fairer place to Work?
The best way to achieve this is through Collective Bargaining – workers and employers negotiating for fair pay, terms and conditions.
A third of Welsh workers already benefit from a Collective Agreement in their workplace, but we want to see it become standard practice across Wales.
We want every Welsh worker to be paid the negotiated rate for the job, not just the minimum.
What is Collective Bargaining?
Collective Bargaining describes how trade unions negotiate with employers, on behalf of their members, over pay and other issues relating to employment. The benefits of Collective Bargaining are shared by workers and employers, including:
- Higher pay
- Flexible work policies
- Job security
- A fairer workplace
It’s not just trade unions that champion collective bargaining – international organisations like the OECD and ILO agree, and it’s standard practice in countries like Norway, the Netherlands and Germany.
Strengthening social partnership between unions, employers and government is vital. Workers’ interests don’t just need to be heard by their employer, but by the government too.
When politicians are making decisions that affect us as workers, they should listen to us as well as our employers.
This is why we’re calling on the Welsh Government to introduce a Social Partnership Act.
What is Social Partnership Act?
A Social Partnership Act will kick start a culture change in Wales’s labour market, where workers’ collective voice is balanced against that of their employer. It will:
- Deliver Fair Work using policy and funding levers, raising collective bargaining coverage
- Protect workers’ rights through more effective enforcement
Strengthen Social Partnerships arrangements
Stronger unions mean safer, more productive workplaces. Our plans won’t just help workers; their families, communities, and employers will also benefit, leading to a fairer, more resilient economy.
What can you do to make Wales a Fairer Place to Work?
The best thing you can do is join a union. The more of us who stand together, the stronger our voice will be - find out now which union you should join
Why should you join a union?
On average, union members enjoy higher pay than non-members. They’re also likely to have better sickness and pension benefits, extra paid holiday and more control over shifts and working hours.
This is because workers are better placed to negotiate fair pay and conditions than their managers, and they’re able to collectively negotiate through their union.
Unions also help keep workers healthy. Union members suffer significantly lower injury rates, because health and safety representatives work hard to identify and deal with dangerous working conditions.
Find out more about why you should join a union.