TO BE PUBLISHED April 2025
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This conference will examine next steps and priorities for employment rights and protections in England, Scotland and Wales.
The conference comes with the Government’s Employment Rights Bill currently progressing through Parliament as part of its plans to Make Work Pay, and government recently tabling amendments to the Bill following early consultation in areas including collective consultation, Statutory Sick Pay, trade union reform, the powers of the new Fair Work Agency and guaranteed contracts for agency workers.
It will be a timely opportunity to examine the legislation’s key provisions around pay, conditions, employment protections and the role of trade unions.
We expect delegates to consider the issues in the context of the wider direction of government policy on increasing productivity, and particularly implications for employment legislation that have been highlighted by some commentators following the Chancellor’s announcement of a raft of measures aimed at stimulating growth. There will also be discussion on how to address concerns from businesses that the Bill could undermine economic growth.
Stakeholders and policymakers will assess latest thinking on how the Bill can best support improvement in working conditions so they are sustainable and inclusive in the long-term. Delegates will discuss best practice in effectively fostering supportive and inclusive work environments that promote retention, career progression and employee wellbeing.
Looking ahead to implementation of proposals in the Bill, delegates will consider priorities for employers when putting in place the resources for organisational transformation in areas such as working practices, recruitment and HR, as well as implications for governance and leadership across sectors, including in SMEs.
Sessions in the agenda look at the sequencing and practicalities of proposed legislative changes as employers prepare to meet new obligations. Areas for discussion include proposed changes to trade union powers, including recognition, and the voting threshold and notice period to employers for industrial action. Delegates will assess how concerns from some employers might be addressed, including consultation on proposed new measures and potential impact on employee relations.
Further sessions assess how proposed legislation can effectively address long-standing concerns related to labour market inequalities, and conditions for vulnerable workers and those at risk of exploitation. Delegates will consider what is needed to protect against poor labour standards, alongside accountability mechanisms. There will also be a focus on enforcement, including the powers and remit of the proposed new Fair Work Agency and the impact on other agencies of the new legislation.
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those due to attend include officials from DBT; DWP; HMCTS; Audit Wales; Defra; DfE; DHSC; MHCLG; DESNZ; DfT; NCA; FCDO; ICO; Ofcom; Home Office; the Welsh Government; and The Scottish Government.
