Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill

Debate between Bill Esterson and Tom Blenkinsop

Wednesday 19th November 2014 Commons Chamber

[Tom Blenkinsop]

Proposed new section 6A(c) in amendment 8 states

“changes in provisions relating to the national minimum wage improving other measures of pay in the labour market.”

That obviously means that Labour wants better collective bargaining in workplaces. The best way of ensuring any minimum standard is to have collective bargaining on site as that would reduce the costs of enforcing the national minimum wage at a later stage. Does my hon. Friend agree that one good measure for the care sector and other small SMEs is more collective bargaining in the workplace?

[Bill Esterson]

That is absolutely right, and as evidence from the TUC that I mentioned earlier made clear, where we have organised workplaces, we have a better system of pay, conditions and support, and as a result better services in sectors such as the care sector.

[Tom Blenkinsop]

Does my hon. Friend agree that the best way to have collective bargaining on site is to pay subscriptions to a trade union? Traditionally, of course, that has been done through check-off. Does he agree that the Government’s current position on check-off, as an employer of their own employees in the civil service, is a demonstration of their lack of commitment on this issue?