The road to a Workers’ Charter
The Scottish Charter is the culmination of an ongoing collaboration between IER academics and lawyers with the Scottish trade union movement.
The Charter rose quickly to success within its first year of development, gaining the support of the Scottish Labour Party. The below timeline summarises the work put into the Charter and what is to come next.
How we got to where we are
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Feb 2018 - The IER broadens its remit
Discussions began on IER working on trade union and employment rights in the Scottish context, widening our work from UK based law.
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Apr 2018 - IER Scotland launches
IER Scotland was launched at STUC fringe in Aviemore. The initiative won the support of the RMT, UNITE, UNISON AND GMB and was supported by Thompson’s Scotland.
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June 2018 - The IER brings experts together to consider the potential for Scottish law reform
In our first Round Table Discussion, we brought Scottish unions, academics and lawyers together to identify key Scottish priorities on industrial relations and collective bargaining.
The seminar aimed to identify what programmes needed to be tackled, how it could be pursued politically, and the legislative/adminstrative opportunities to puruse that agenda.
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Nov 2018 - Adapting to the constitution
At our second round table, our experts identified the limits of the Scottish constitutional position on labour law in Scotland, allowing us to draft policies that can be implemented even without full devolution.
Drawing upon this, the essential components of a Scottish Charter of Labour Law was decided.
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Dec 2018-Feb 2019 - The Charter is drafted
IER experts held meetings and consultations – including with unions – to draft the content of A Charter of Workers Rights for Scotland.
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Feb 2019 - The Charter is launched
On its publication, the Charter received widespread press attention from Scottish outlets and left-wing newspaper the Morning Star.
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Apr 2019 - Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard gives the Charter his support
At the Scottish Trades Union Congress, Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard praised the initiative in his keynote speech to conference.
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Jun 2019 - Further development of equal pay and implementation begins
In consultation with trade unions, it was identified that equal pay and the context of the Scottish Constitutional position as it relates to the implementation of the charter should be further developed.
The IER will continue to consult on the Charter until November 2019.
What next for the Charter?
Work on developing and promoting the Charter continues. The IER will hold its consultation with trade unions on the content of the Charter until November 2019, and will meet in September 2019 with Professor Lydia Hayes – IER Executive Committee member and expert consultant on the development of collective bargaining in Wales.
In October 2019, A fringe meeting will be held at the Scottish National Party Conference in Aberdeen, jointly hosted by the SNP Trade Union Group. A further round table discussion is also planned for that month to discuss the political implementation of the Charter.
Finally, an event will be held at Scottish Parliament at the end of the year, at which lawyers, unions, academics and campaigners will come together to discuss the Charter and its potential for implementation in Scotland.
