The Employment Rights Bill, introduced by the Government, represents a major update to employment laws, with 28 key measures aimed at enhancing worker protections. Significant provisions include "day-one rights" to sick pay and unfair dismissal protections, along with a Fair Pay Agreement for social care and the restoration of national collective bargaining for school support staff. The bill also targets exploitative practices, such as “fire and rehire” and zero-hour contracts. Union reactions have been broadly supportive, highlighting its potential for meaningful change while urging further steps. The bill is expected to receive Royal Assent by May 2025, with many provisions requiring secondary legislation to take effect in 2026. This timeline allows for ongoing consultations, giving unions a voice in refining the legislation to meet workers’ needs comprehensively.
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For more information, please contact Paul de Beer or Oana Ciuca, De Burcht (Scientific Bureau for the Dutch Trade Union Movement) p.t.debeer@uva.nl or the Head of communications at the ETUI, Mehmet Koksal mkoksal@etui.org. For previous full issues of the Collective bargaining newsletter please visit https://www.etui.org/Newsletters/Collective-bargaining-newsletter or consult the archive with all articles in our database at www.cbnarchive.eu.
You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org.