Draft 13/6/2018 Forging an Inclusive Labour Market
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DRAFT 13/6/2018 FORGING AN INCLUSIVE LABOUR MARKET – EMPOWERING WORKERS AND COMMUNITIES: AN INTERIM REPORT ON LOW PAY AND PRECARIOUS WORK IN SHEFFIELD David Etherington (Middlesex University), Bob Jeffery, Peter Thomas, Jenni Brooks (Sheffield Hallam University), David Beel and Martin Jones (Staffordshire University) 1 Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................ 5 PART ONE: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT TO THE RESEARCH ............................................................. 14 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 14 1.2 Context to SNAP .......................................................................................................................... 14 1.3 Defining low pay and precarious work ....................................................................................... 15 1.4 Importance of trade unions combating pay inequalities and precarious work .......................... 17 1.5 The research approach and objectives ....................................................................................... 18 1.6 Structure of the Report ............................................................................................................... 18 PART TWO: AUSTERITY, LOW PAY AND PRECARIOUS WORK: CAUSES AND KEY UK TRENDS .............. 20 2.1 How Austerity Drives Low Pay and Insecurity ............................................................................ 20 2.2 Public sector cuts, privatisation and outsourcing ....................................................................... 21 2.3 Trade union legislation and employment rights ......................................................................... 22 2.4 Welfare reform, Universal Credit, low pay and precarious work ............................................... 24 2.5 Declining wages and incomes ..................................................................................................... 24 2.6 The labour and jobs market has become more insecure ........................................................... 24 2.7 Summary of key trends and issues ............................................................................................. 26 PART THREE: WORK, WELFARE AND INSECURITY IN SHEFFIELD ......................................................... 27 3.1 The Shift towards a more precarious economy: Accelerated de-industrialisation and job destruction over past 30 years ......................................................................................................... 27 3.2 Impact of public sector cuts ........................................................................................................ 28 3.3 Trends in low pay in Sheffield ..................................................................................................... 30 3.4 Where is low pay concentrated? ................................................................................................ 31 3.5 Insecure work in Sheffield on the increase ................................................................................. 32 3.5.1 Barriers to trade union representation and employment rights ......................................... 32 3.5.2 Employers not fulfilling the requirement to produce an employment contract ................. 34 3.5.3 Difficulties in raising problems with employers and role of agencies ................................ 35 3.5.4 Unpaid and Underpaid work ................................................................................................ 35 3.6 Insecurity and social disadvantage ............................................................................................. 36 3.6.1 Young people ....................................................................................................................... 36 3.6.2 Disabled People .................................................................................................................... 38 3.6.3 Women ................................................................................................................................. 42 3.6.4 Black and Ethnic Minority Groups........................................................................................ 46 3.6.5 Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Groups (LGBT)........................................................ 47 2 3.7 Universal Credit Welfare cuts and precarious lives in Sheffield ................................................. 48 3.7.1 Benefit design encourages insecure work ........................................................................... 49 3.7.2 UC cuts and benefit delays Impoverishes claimants ............................................................ 50 3.7.3 Benefit delays are forcing people to use foodbanks ........................................................... 51 3.8 Devolution, ‘inclusive growth’, and the employment and skills system..................................... 52 3.8.1 Trade union and civil society voice in the Sheffield City Region .......................................... 52 3.8.2 ‘Inclusive Growth’ in the Sheffield City Region? .................................................................. 53 3.8.3 Skills and in work progression .............................................................................................. 55 PART FOUR: TRADE UNIONS CHALLENGING INSECURITY IN SHEFFIELD: CASE STUDIES ...................... 59 4.1 Retail/Fast Food .......................................................................................................................... 60 4.1.1 Trade union strategies in the Retail Sector: USDAW and GMB ........................................... 62 4.1.2 Unite Sports Direct Shame ................................................................................................... 63 4.1.3 BFAWU Fast Food Workers Rights campaign and McDonalds ............................................ 64 4.2 Higher Education ......................................................................................................................... 65 4.2.1 Casualisation at Sheffield Hallam University ....................................................................... 67 4.2.2 Casualisation at University of Sheffield ............................................................................... 68 4.2.3 Trade Union Strategies: Sheffield Hallam University University College Union .................. 68 4.2.4 Trade Union Strategies: University of Sheffield University College Union .......................... 69 4.3 Social Care Sector ........................................................................................................................ 70 4.3.1 Key issues for the Social Care Sector ................................................................................... 72 4.3.2 Trade Union Strategies: Unison and GMB strategies in relation to social care ................... 73 4.4 National Health Service (NHS) Sheffield Teaching Hospitals ...................................................... 75 4.4.1 Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STP) managing NHS cuts? .................................. 75 4.4.2 Implications of the cuts on Sheffield NHS Workforce.......................................................... 76 4.4.3 Trade Union and NGO Strategies ......................................................................................... 79 4.5 Welfare Reform and Universal Credit ........................................................................................ 81 4.5.1 Trade Union Strategies: Role of Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), Unite Community and others ................................................................................................................. 82 PART FIVE: EMERGING THEMES AND FINDINGS FROM THE STUDY ..................................................... 84 5.1 Austerity, challenging and changing the narrative ..................................................................... 84 5.2 Trade Union innovative strategies and some challenges ........................................................... 84 5.3 Extent of oppressive employment practices .............................................................................. 86 5.4 Casualisation, diversity and intersectionality ............................................................................. 87 5.5 Importance of skills and training ................................................................................................ 87 3 5.6 Trade unions, welfare reform and disadvantaged groups .......................................................... 88 5.7 A potential for trade unions to shape an inclusive growth and social dialogue agenda in Sheffield City Region ......................................................................................................................... 89 PART SIX: RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................................................... 90 6.1 Recommendations for trade unions ........................................................................................... 90 6.2 Recommendations for City Region and Local Authority ............................................................. 91 Tables Table 1 UK Employment rights and representation ............................................................................