The independence of the Low Pay Commission is under threat. It alone has decided the level of the minimum wage, but politicians are increasingly interested in forcing a rise in the NMW for vote-winning reasons. How can (and should) the role of the Low Pay Commission change in this new environment? In the first of a four part series focusing on low pay, Lewis Silkin debate what the future may hold for the Low Pay Commission.
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Role of the State
The recent book The Second Machine Age: Work, progress and prosperity in a time of brilliant technologies by Brynjolfsson and McAfee has ignited debate about the impact of transformative future technology on the labour market. This article on technology by Lewis Silkin asks: are we really at risk of advancing technology sparking underemployment?
Carlos Slim, reportedly the richest man in the world, has called for the introduction of a three-day working week. Before employers brace themselves for dozens of flexible working requests as staff demand four day weekend, Lewis Silkin comments on whether this increased flexibility could ever really work.
In this article, Lewis Silkin looks at the ITUC's Global Right's Index to consider how international businesses can mitigate their risk and influence supply chain management.
The UK’s relationship with Europe has emerged as a key political issue. Eurosceptics are arguing that, because of European employment law, UK employers are strangled in red tape. But do European Union laws really have such a damaging impact on UK businesses? This piece by Lewis Silkin cuts through some of the bluster to reveal a few facts about the EU's influence in the UK.
The UK skills gap is widening. This piece from Lewis Silkin comments on how we might stem the skills gap in the UK, move from the standardised low-skill low-pay “low road” economy and head closer to the specialised high-skill high-pay “high road”.
Some are calling for a big National Minimum Wage increase so that it more closely matches the living wage, but others claim this would have a catastrophic impact upon the employment rate. Who is right about the NMW? Hannah Price of Lewis Silkin LLP gives her view.
Ageing workforces are affecting employers across the globe. This means longer working lives, multi-generational workplaces and greater age discrimination risks. Demographic change will have a big impact on the future of work. This Lewis Silkin piece discusses these issues.
What will be the impact of technology in the future of work? Technological developments are coming at an increasing rate, creating new markets, new jobs and new opportunities to work, whilst simultaneously threatening other jobs and industries. This Lewis Silkin piece comments on the issues.
Politicians want a higher standard of living for all, with proposals to end low pay and get more money in more people's pockets. To do this, a range of policy initiatives are being debated that it's hoped will help people with the cost of living and raise living standards, but which will impact employers. This Lewis Silkin article explains the pros and cons of the policies.
Perceptions of “class” and socio-economic status have always permeated UK life and will continue to do so. Can/will the slow creep of discrimination law eventually spread to cover class discrimination in the workplace? Is classist treatment a real issue that employers should be grappling with? Lewis Silkin LLP explores.
The PM’s big speech left a big question mark over the UK’s future relationship with Europe. Lewis Silkin considers how it might affect employment law, specifically trade union laws and European works councils.