Workplace justice unlikely to come from new labour laws

The Work Foundation has just published a paper that looks at justice in the workplace.

In Justice in the workplace: Why it is important and why a new public policy initiative is needed (Paul Edwards); it argued that...

"The cause of justice at work will not be best served by introducing any new employment laws in the near future.

Instead, what is needed is a new policy initiative aiming to encourage employers both to comply with existing laws and actively pursue a fairness at work agenda."

Reforms to how organizations approach the matter of workplace justice are outlined as follows:

More pro-active advice: Rather than merely help firms comply with the law, state agencies should emphasise good practice.

Support for local initiatives: Some sectors, especially low-paying ones, often contain firms with the will to improve wages and conditions but they are locked in intense competition. Some local networks exist, but they are weakly established.

Sector forums: The existing idea of sector-level employment forums (reached as part of the Warwick Agreement) should be put into practice.

For more general details see a Work Foundation press release.

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