Govt calls for evidence on EU employment law: from businesses only

12 July 2013

The Coalition is making it glaringly obvious it does not feel the need to listen to the voices of workers when it comes to employment law, despite the fact it is employees who are the most vulnerable to negative impacts from changes to legislation.

Last week, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills announced the launch of a taskforce to analyse EU law, focusing specifically on employment law, health and safety regulations and company registration legislation. The department invited no trade union representatives, charitable organisations or other workplace representatives to give their opinions, deciding to limit its taskforce to business leaders alone.

Those business leaders have now called for evidence on the impact of EU law from firms only. Again, no importance has been attached to the views of the vast majority of the population, who make up the British workforce. The consultation has a specific focus on employment, chemicals, food safety and hygiene, the digital economy and life sciences legislation.

When they report in September, the taskforce will provide proposals for the reform of these sections of EU law, and will even give recommendations for changes in wider EU legislation.

The Institute of Employment Rights asks why the government has given so much influence to six wealthy business owners, rather than to employment lawyers, trade unions who deal with employment law on a day to day basis, and of course the workers themselves.