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Fair Employment Charter
Celebrating good employers and driving up standards for fairer employment practices
Background
The principle of fair day’s wage for a fair day’s pay has been enshrined within the social contract between employers and employees for a long time. However, in recent years there has been an erosion of that social contract with the introduction of employment approaches, such as exploitative zero hours contracts, that have seen the balance tilt more in favour of employers than employees.
In response to this, the Mayor has established a Fair Employment Charter for Liverpool City Region, which celebrates fair employment practices where they are in place and drive-up standards elsewhere. The intention is to recognise good quality and effective practice in fair employment and build the broader case amongst other employers for them to consider changing their practices.
A fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work
Thomas Carlyle wrote those words in 1843, but they could just as easily have been written by campaigners today. We have, of course, made massive strides forward since then. The introduction of the 48-hour week, sick pay and the minimum wage have all improved conditions for workers, but we still have a way to go.
Our region has a long and proud history as a place that stands up for the greater good. From Kitty Wilkinson and Eleanor Rathbone to modern day campaigners like Gee Walker and the Fans Supporting Foodbanks movement, we are always at the forefront of doing the right thing. We are a not place that follows the crowd, preferring instead to do things differently and blaze our own trail. I always like to say that where the Liverpool City Region leads, the rest of the country follows.
That is what our Fair Employment Charter is all about: making our region be the fairest, most equitable place in the country to work or run a business in.
It is not just about embarrassing unscrupulous employers – and we have seen too many of those during the Coronavirus pandemic – but helping to take them on a journey to better employment practices.
Just as importantly, it is about shining a light on and promoting good employers who do the right things: paying the Real Living Wage, clamping down on the insecure work or zero hours contracts, offering a real seat at the table to trade unions and giving staff opportunities to progress and thrive.
This charter has been a long time in the making. We have worked closely with trade unions, employers of all sizes and staff themselves to ensure that it reflects the needs, wants and priorities of staff and bosses alike.
If you are an employer in the Liverpool City Region we want to work with you. Whether you’re already doing good, or you’d like to get better, we’re here to help you be the best employer possible.
Apply to be a member of our Fair Employment Charter using our online application form, or get information and guidance about your application by emailing [email protected]. Alternatively, please visit the CIPD website (Chartered Institute of Personnel Development) to access resources to help you understand and meet the four pillars of the Fair Employment Charter.
Steve Rotheram
