5. Statement by the Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government: Working in Partnership for a Fair Work Wales

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:18 pm on 9 February 2021.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Huw Irranca-Davies Huw Irranca-Davies Labour 5:18, 9 February 2021

Building on the comments of my colleagues Dawn Bowden and Mick Antoniw, it's definitely true, Minister, that the social partnership in Wales is a model for the UK of how businesses and unions, workers and the Government, constructively work together on jobs and the economy and the skills agenda and much more. Now, I don't want to be presumptuous, but can I ask whether the Minister would consider, with the legislation in the next Welsh Labour Government, extending the fair work provisions and the economic contract in Wales to cover all businesses that receive public assistance and taxpayer funds? This could vastly extend the awareness of employee rights and fair work, investment in workplace learning, and it could be used to boost progress towards wider uptake of the real living wage and, as Mick said, an increased openness to collective bargaining, which we know drives up wages and pay and conditions. So, Minister, is the sixth Senedd the one in which we legislate to strengthen our social partnership working and we go further and faster to make work fairer?