Employment law plans most significant since Good Friday Argreement – Archibald

Plans to update employment law in Northern Ireland will be the most significant since the Good Friday Agreement, the economy minister has said.

Caoimhe Archibald said the “ambitious” proposals in the Good Jobs Bill included tackling zero-hour contracts, improvements to family-related leave and strengthened rights for trade unions.

The proposals also aimed to enhance protections for agency workers, ensure tips were passed on to workers in full and easier access to flexible working arrangements.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) welcomed the proposals and said it provided an opportunity for the Executive to create “a meaningful legacy for every working family in Northern Ireland”.

Retail NI said it was important the legislation did not overburden small businesses, while People Before Profit said the Bill was “underwhelming”.

Ms Archibald outlined the proposals in her employment legislation to the Assembly on Monday, and said it marked “a significant milestone”.

It follows on from a public consultation carried out last year which sought views on updating employment law.

“It is the start of a process which will see the biggest upgrade to our employment legislation since the Good Friday Agreement,” she said.

“The proposals that I am bringing forward today are ambitious but I believe they are balanced in terms of being effective for both workers and for businesses.

“We had a consultation period and over 190 responses and that gave us a really good insight into the views of both employers and workers and students and beyond.

“The proposals we have brought forward have been shaped by what we have been told.

“They are wide ranging, they include the banning of exploitative zero-hours contracts, enhanced access to family-related leave, increased flexibility for workers, increased and strengthened rights for trade unions.

“I believe that this is an ambitious programme of work.”

ICTU assistant general secretary Gerry Murphy said: “The NI Executive has the opportunity to create a meaningful legacy for every working family in Northern Ireland by approving a new employment bill for the NI Assembly and its Economy Committee to debate its proposals and amend as necessary, all the way from first reading to royal assent.”

He added: “Much of what is proposed isn’t radical — it represents basic, long-overdue modernisation to bring Northern Ireland’s employment rights in line with standards already in place in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

“It’s important to be clear that this is not the final Bill. The real test will come in whether these proposals lead to strong, enforceable rights that deliver for working people.”

Retail NI chief executive Glyn Roberts said it was “important” that the Bill “works for businesses and employees alike”.

“Many of our members have had concerns with new employment laws in the past that created more bureaucracy and paperwork,” he said.

“It is vital that this is not the case with this proposed legislation.

“Given that many small businesses and independent retailers are struggling with the ‘cost-of-doing-business crisis’, we will be working to ensure that that the Good Jobs Bill does not add to that burden.”

People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll called the Bill “underwhelming” and “a modest step in the right direction”.

“However, this can fairly be characterised as a ‘catch-up’ Bill, rather than an effort to genuinely end exploitation and oppression in the workplace,” he said.

“A majority of the proposals are designed to make sure workers in the north benefit from the same basic protections recently introduced – or soon to come into force – in Britain.

“The minister has refused to implement an outright ban on zero-hours contracts, as promised in New Decade, New Approach.

“Carers will be let down by the proposal for just one week of unpaid leave per year, and left out of pocket for caring for a loved one.

“The mislabelled ‘right to disconnect’ will be established through a code of practice, rather than enshrined in law.”

He added: “This is a missed opportunity to shift the balance of power away from bosses and towards workers, and establish the conditions for sectoral collective bargaining.”