Responses to Consultations
The National Group on Homeworking works to ensure homeworkers’ needs and concerns are taken into account by the UK government and other decision-makers. Part of this work involves responding to major consultations on issues likely to affect homeworkers.
Social Policy Taskforce submission on the 2008-11 National Action Plan on Social Inclusion.
The European Union requires each country to produce a regular National Action Plan (NAP) on how they are addressing social inclusion and poverty. The NAP is an important document, looking at what is being achieved in the fight against poverty, and what more needs to be done. The government is due to publish a new NAP for 2008-11 in the autumn.
NGH is part of a group of anti-poverty organisations called the Social Policy Taskforce. The Social Policy Taskforce exists to persuade government to find more effective ways to tackle poverty, particularly through working with, and listening to, people experiencing poverty. The Social Policy Taskforce has produced a document outlining the key issues the government ought to consider when preparing its National Action Plan.
http://www.ngh.org.uk/resource-files/NAP_2008_final_submission121 0769510.doc
Commission on Vulnerable Employment 2007
TUC has set up a Commission to look into the issues surrounding vulnerable employment. The Commission on Vulnerable Employment (COVE) has gathered extensive evidence, including new research, field visits, oral testimony and responses to its public consultation.
NGH staff met with the Commission to give verbal evidence, and arranged an event for commissioners to meet homeworkers and discuss the issues they face. We also submitted written evidence to the Commission, in the form of our research report ‘Subject to Status.’ You can view our report, which highlights the problems of low pay, irregular work and the lack of employment rights here:
http://www.ngh.org.uk/resource-files/Subject_to_Status1195636482. pdf
The Commission will be publishing its final report on 7th May 2008. Its recommendations will consider how government, civil society organisations, employers and trade unions can work together to improve the lives of Britain’s most vulnerable workers.
Find out more by visiting the COVE website:
http://www.vulnerableworkers.org.uk/
Low Pay Commission consultation on National Minimum Wage 2007
Each year the Low Pay Commission gathers evidence on how well the national minimum wage is working, and makes recommendations to government on what rate it should be set at and any other changes that could improve the way the system works.
This year, NGH staff met with the Commission to give evidence in person, and rather than doing a separate piece of research for the LPC, we submitted the evidence we gathered as part of our ‘Subject to Status’ report. This report showed that many homeworkers continue to be denied the national minimum wage, and it also indicated that few homeworkers are being paid under the new system of fair piece rates. As a result, the LPC has recommended that the fair piece rate system be fully reviewed, and this will take place as part of the LPC’s 2008 research.
http://www.ngh.org.uk/resource-files/Subject_to_Status1195636482. pdf
National Minimum Wage Enforcement 2007
The government is considering introducing tougher penalties for companies who do not pay their workers the National Minimum Wage, and improving the way arrears are calculated so that workers who have not received the minimum wage are paid back properly. We welcome both of these proposals, but we remain concerned that uncertain employment status is being used by employers to disadvantage homeworkers, and avoid paying them the national minimum wage.
Our consultation response is available here:
http://www.ngh.org.uk/resource-files/NMW_consultation_2007_for_we bsite1186409868.doc
For further details, it needs to be read in conjunction with the government consultation document which is available here:
http://www.berr.gov.uk/consultations/page39461.html
Resolving Disputes in the Workplace 2007
The government is consulting on how to help resolve employment disputes succesfully in the workplace. Proposals include repealing the current statutory dispute resolution procedures; providing better help and guidelines to resolve disputes at an earlier stage; and improving the way employment tribunals work.
We welcome the suggestion that the current overly complex rules should be repealed. However, the most common problem facing homeworkers in any dispute is the question of their employment status. Until this is resolved, and homeworkers receive full employment rights, homeworkers will continue to face injustice at work.
You can view our response to the consultation here:
http://www.ngh.org.uk/resource-files/Resolving_disputes_in_the_wo rkplace_for_website1182176677.rtf
For further details about the dispute resolution consultation visit the DTI website:
http://www.dti.gov.uk/consultations/index.html
Protecting Vulnerable Agency Workers
The government is consulting on specific measures to protect vulnerable agency workers. Although we believe the consultation is too narrow, and does not address the core problem of employment status, we have responded pointing out the common issues faced by both agency workers and home workers. Read our submission here:
http://www.ngh.org.uk/resource-files/agency_workers_DTI_consultat ion1175604591.rtf
If you would like more information about the orginal consultation, visit the DTI website. The consultation closes on 31st May 2007.
http://www.dti.gov.uk/consultations/page37726.html
European Commission - Green Paper on Labour Law 2006-2007
The European Commission has launched a consultation on the future of labour law, and how best to combine ‘flexibility’ with ‘security’. The paper looks at the growing gap between those who have full employment status, and those workers who miss out on basic rights and protections.
This is issue is of great relevance to homeworkers who often have uncertain employment status and miss out on key rights as a consequence. NGH has responded to the consultation explaining that current UK law leaves homeworkers vulnerable, and calling for homeworkers to be given greater protection and rights at a Europe-wide level. Read our submission below:
http://www.ngh.org.uk/resource-files/EU_Green_Paper_on_Labour_Law 1171293737.doc
For further information on the consultation or to have your own say, visit:
http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/labour_law/green_paper_en.h tm
Consultation ends 31st March 2007
Implementation of increase in holiday entitlement
In January 2007 the government launched a consultation on how best to implement the new increase in statutory paid holidays, up to 28 days per annum (20 days plus Bank Holidays). We welcome the change, but want to see the rules properly enforced, and also want reassurance that this improvement in workers' rights will not be off set by lower minimum wage increases in the future.
http://www.ngh.org.uk/resource-files/Increasing_holiday_entitleme nt1170331456.doc
For further information on the consultation, visit the DTI's website.
http://www.dti.gov.uk/consultations/page36462.html
Health and Safety Review 2007
The Better Regulation Executive is consulting on how health and safety is regulated and whether this could be improved. We are concerned at the tone of the consultation, which appears to favour deregulation for business, rather than improving safety for workers, but we have nonetheless made positive proposals about how existing health and safety laws could be better enforced.
Our response to the consultation is available here:
http://www.ngh.org.uk/resource-files/Health-and-Safety-consultati on-20071196339745.doc
For further information on the consultation visit:
http://bre.berr.gov.uk/regulation/reform/health_safety/index.asp
This consultation ends on 31st January 2007
Supermarkets 2006
The Competition Commission is undertaking an investigation into major UK supermarkets . We are concerned at the impact supermarket purchasing practices are having on workers worldwide, including UK homeworkers. This is our letter to the Competition Commission outlining the issues we want them to consider as part of their investigation.
http://www.ngh.org.uk/resource-files/Supermarkets1162301038.rtf
For further information visit the Competition Commission website:
http://www.competition-commission.org.uk
Pensions Proposals 2006
You can download our response to the Department for Work and Pensions ‘Security in Retirement: towards a new pensions system’ paper. We are pleased that many more women will be able to receive the basic state pension, but we are concerned that unclear employment status and very low earnings mean many homeworkers will continue to be disadvantaged.
http://www.ngh.org.uk/resource-files/Pensions1155224874.rtf
To view the government's original consultation paper or to make your own comments visit the Department for Work and Pensions website.
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/pensionsreform/
Consultation closes 11th September 2006
Low Pay Commission consultation on National Minimum Wage 2006
You can download our response to the Low Pay Commission's investigation into how well the NMW is working. We are particularly concerned with the way the NMW is being enforced. We think more needs to be done to ensure all cases involving homeworkers are investigated as thoroughly as possible.
http://www.ngh.org.uk/resource-files/LPCNMW1155301550.rtf
To make your own comments on issures relating to the NMW visit the Low Pay Commission website. They are particularly interested to hear from people who have been directly affected by the NMW.
http://www.lowpay.gov.uk/
Consultation closes on 20th September 2006