Institute of Employment Rights

8 reasons why we need sectoral collective bargaining:

Panel at the CTUF/IER fringe @TolpuddleFest 2025 (l-r) @NeilForPoole Darren Ireland @RMTunion Steve Preddy @unitesouthwest @FranHeathcote @pcs_union @sarahwoolley01 @BFAWUOfficial Keith Ewing - theme of the day, call for Employment Rights #2 Bill @IERUK

The TUC has organised a nationwide inspection of workplaces this week for heat safety, with more than 1,000 trade union health and safety reps signed up to take part. Read more here: ier.org.uk/news/unions-la…

. @UsdawUnion 's Paddy Lillis calls on the Government to reverse a series of Tory/Lib Dem amendments that erode key measures introduced by the Employment Rights Bill. ier.org.uk/news/tories-an…

The Employment Rights Bill leaves trade unions heavily regulated, most workers without collective bargaining coverage & fails to tackle the balance of power that enables constant mutation of bad practice, write Prof Keith Ewing & John Hendy KC. #Tolpuddle morningstaronline.co.uk/article/employ…

Despite its positive achievements, the ERB leans too heavily on individual rights and misses the core issue: a lack of worker power. At our fringe event, John Hendy made the case for a second Bill to enshrine the collective rights essential for real workplace democracy⬇️

"We can never sit back and expect a Government, even a Labour Government, to do this job for us, it will always be down to the trade union movement" - @FranHeathcote speaking at our Miners' Gala fringe event last week. @pcs_union @pplsassembly @ctufevents

Our last speaker, the @NEU’s @DanielKebedeNEU laments the Labour govt’s first year, but says the @DurhamGala is always an immensely positive weekend, reminding us of the priority - building our trade unions in every workplace.

At our Eve of @DurhamGala rally at @RedhillsDurham, the @BFAWUOfficial’s @sarahwoolley01 demands the rights promised in the Employment Rights Bill, not next year, not 2027, but now. #BigMeeting

“We cannot let the ghosts of the past dictate our future”, says Mike Masters as he describes the repressive actions that have been taken against bin workers in their dispute with Birmingham City Council. “We will not be bullied”, he continues, to a standing ovation. #ierfringe

Next, @pcs_union General Secretary @FranHeathcote takes the stage to welcome the advances in sick pay for millions of workers but challenges the delays & watering down of the Employment Rights Bill. As a union movement, we’ll have to keep fighting for it, she says. #IERfringe

“What workers need is not individual rights, they need power … the laws [from 1982 -1992] which attacked collective union rights are still in place”. That’s why we need to keep the pressure on, says Lord John Hendy KC at our Eve of @DurhamGala fringe. #BigMeeting

At @RedhillsDurham for the @ctufevents & @IERUK meeting in the wonderful Pitman’s Parliament, local MP @marykfoy introduces the meeting by describing the Employment Rights Bill as a “huge step” towards the generational change we need after 14 years of attacks on workers rights.

Last minute reminder that our Eve of @DurhamGala fringe event starts at 6pm in @RedhillsDurham. We will be discussing building towards a second Employment Rights Bill, with a brilliant line up of speakers. For full details, see our website 👉 fb.me/e/6qz65mH6j

TONIGHT! Heading to Durham for the #BigMeeting? Get yourself along to the annual EVE OF GALA fringe this evening with our National President, Martin Cavanagh who will be speaking for @pplsassembly 6pm - Pitmans Parliament, Durham Miners’ HQ, Redhills, Flass Street, Durham, DH1…

Great to have @cavanagh4 at our meeting tonight, representing the @pplsassembly. Martin has been a fantastic advocate for a comprehensive Employment Rights Bill. Join us at @RedhillsDurham at 6 today for an ideal start to the #BigMeeting weekend. Details: ier.org.uk/events/finishi…