Responding to yesterday’s Statement by the Minister for Housing and Local Government on ‘The Fair Work Commission's Report’, North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood expressed concern that after two decades of devolved Labour Welsh Government, Wales has the highest percentage of employees not on permanent contracts, the highest levels of unemployment and the lowest levels of wages across the UK.
Last year, the Welsh Government appointed the Fair Work Commission to consider and work alongside the Welsh Government’s social partners to make recommendations on how Welsh Government can promote and encourage fair work in Wales.
The Commission recommends that ‘fair work’ should be defined as ‘where workers are fairly rewarded, heard and represented, secure and able to progress in a healthy, inclusive environment where rights are respected’ .
In the Chamber yesterday, Mr Isherwood challenged the Minister over what is being done to promote and encourage fair work in Wales.
He said:
“How do you propose to recognise the need across all sectors, not just the private sector, to maximise the potential of effective Performance Management, where too often we hear, when the term is used, of ‘Appraisal’ only, which is meant to be a single snapshot of a year and not an opportunity to lecture an employee, when throughout the year the individual should be given voice to agree their needs, propose their own ideas and agree models and action plans to take that forward, including the training skills and involvement that they need to mutual benefit? Again, that seems to be something I couldn't pick out from the report thus far.
“You say that fair work accords with long-established traditions in Wales of social solidarity and community cohesion, and, clearly, it's disappointing that Wales, two decades after devolution, has the highest percentage of employees not on permanent contracts, the highest levels of unemployment and, of course, lowest levels of wages across the UK.
“You say the Welsh Government has been clear that, in leaving the EU, there should be no weakening of existing employment rights and I, of course, agree with you on that. What consideration have you given to the actual Withdrawal Agreement between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the European Union and Council, where it, for example, refers to the rights of workers, the right not to be discriminated against on grounds of nationality, the right to equal treatment in respect of conditions of employment and work, and collective rights and so on, and also states that ‘The United Kingdom shall ensure that no diminution of rights, safeguards or equality of opportunity, as set out in (that part of) the 1998 Agreement entitled Rights, Safeguards and Equality of Opportunity, results from its withdrawal from the Union’.
He added: “Beyond that, in your Statement, you refer to collective bargaining and the role it can play in economic growth. A quick look at the UK Government website: it says ‘You will need to work with unions to discuss changes to employees' terms and conditions’, but what discussions have you had or will you have with employers—private sector, third sector and statutory sector—to look at the potential implications of different models for taking this forward?”
Amongst other questions, Mr Isherwood also asked the Minister what assessment the Welsh Government has made of the UK Government's 'Good Work Plan’ and the opportunities that it represents for enhancing the employee market, conditions and terms in Wales in areas over which the Welsh Government has devolved responsibilities, and what practical measures the Welsh Government itself is taking to support fair work, or the 'Good Work Plan’, in employment in Wales.
