What do the Conservatives and Labour have to say about employment rights?

Jennifer Platt, Assoc CIPD
JRP HR Consultancy Services Limited

Both the Conservatives and Labour have a number of manifesto commitments which would impact significantly on employment rights. Some of the Conservatives' commitments include the following: 
to protect workers rights that are derived from EU law after Brexit;
to ensure that the National Living Wage increases in line with current targets;
conduct a review of the so-called "gig" economy;
increase worker representation on company boards;
curbing executive pay; and extending the scope of protection against discrimination for those with mental health conditions that are "episodic and fluctuating".

Labour's manifesto contains some commitments which would significantly increase the protections afforded to workers and employees including: guaranteeing all rights after Brexit;
banning zero hours contracts;
ensuring that all workers aged 18 or over are paid the National Living Wage (which would be £10 by 2020);
increasing free childcare provision to all two-year old children;
abolishing Employment Tribunal fees;
extending employment rights to all workers from day one and making them equal to employees;
and strengthening equalities legislation and pay transparency. 

​Clearly if Labour were successful, there would be a significant impact on employment law and human resources. If the Conservatives win the election the scale of change will be less significant but there is still scope for some interesting developments. Things will obviously become clearer after the election on Thursday 8 June!