Perspectives on labour law

Cover......Page 1
Half-title......Page 3
Series-title......Page 4
Dedication......Page 7
Title......Page 9
Copyright......Page 10
Contents......Page 11
Preface......Page 17
Acknowledgements......Page 20
Table of statutes......Page 21
Table of statutory instruments......Page 28
Table of conventions and foreign legislation......Page 31
Table of cases......Page 37
Abbreviations......Page 42
Part I......Page 45
Collective laissez-faire – the 1950s......Page 47
The demise of collective laissez-faire – the 1960s and 1970s......Page 48
Promoting workers’ rights......Page 49
Managing the economy......Page 51
Reducing the number of strikes......Page 52
Promoting workers’ rights: EC law......Page 54
Protecting workers’ rights: individualism......Page 55
Tackling strikes......Page 56
Reducing burdens on business......Page 57
‘The third way’ – 1997-present......Page 58
Modern approaches to labour law......Page 60
Further reading......Page 61
2 Economics perspectives on labour law......Page 63
What do economists do?......Page 64
Markets......Page 65
Labour markets......Page 67
Labour law: two schools of thought......Page 69
Neoclassical economics......Page 70
New institutional economics......Page 72
Macroeconomics......Page 74
Productivity......Page 75
Unemployment......Page 76
Further reading......Page 78
Historical development......Page 80
Types of rights......Page 83
Civil and political rights......Page 84
Economic and social rights......Page 86
International human rights instruments and domestic law......Page 88
Right-holders......Page 89
Rights against whom?......Page 90
Scope......Page 91
Weight......Page 93
Further reading......Page 97
4 Modes of regulation......Page 98
The International Labour Organisation......Page 99
The European Convention on Human Rights......Page 103
The European Union......Page 107
What role for national law?......Page 111
Modes of regulation within national law......Page 112
Further reading......Page 115
Part II......Page 117
5 Who is protected by employment law?......Page 119
Typical and atypical workers......Page 120
Economics perspectives......Page 122
Rights perspectives......Page 125
Employees......Page 128
Workers......Page 131
Self-employed people......Page 132
Why does it matter?......Page 133
Atypical workers have other problems too......Page 136
The scope of employment law – an issue to remember......Page 137
Further reading......Page 138
6 Working time......Page 139
The working week......Page 140
Leave......Page 142
Hours and holidays......Page 144
Leave......Page 145
Rules applicable to all......Page 148
Rules applicable to workers with family responsibilities......Page 152
Further reading......Page 158
Arguments against legal intervention......Page 160
Arguments which might support legal intervention......Page 163
Rights perspectives......Page 165
Who is protected?......Page 166
What constitutes discrimination?......Page 167
Can discrimination ever be justified?......Page 170
Who is protected?......Page 171
What constitutes discrimination?......Page 174
Can discrimination ever be justified?......Page 177
Further reading......Page 179
8 Wages......Page 181
Minimum wages......Page 182
Equal pay......Page 185
Minimum wages......Page 186
Equal pay......Page 188
The National Minimum Wage......Page 189
Entitlement and enforcement......Page 190
The rate......Page 191
Equal pay......Page 193
Eligibility and enforcement......Page 194
Employers’ defences......Page 196
Further reading......Page 197
9 Dismissal......Page 199
Arguments against regulation......Page 200
Arguments in favour of regulation......Page 201
Rights perspectives......Page 202
English law......Page 207
Eligibility to claim......Page 208
Controls over the employer’s reason for dismissal......Page 209
Controls over the employer’s procedures......Page 210
Remedies......Page 212
Further reading......Page 216
10 Collective representation......Page 218
Collective bargaining......Page 219
Consultation......Page 221
Economic arguments against worker participation......Page 223
Economic arguments in favour of worker participation......Page 225
The law on collective bargaining......Page 227
The law on consultation......Page 231
Further reading......Page 237
11 Trade union membership......Page 240
Freedom of association and employers......Page 241
Freedom of association and unions......Page 243
Can an individual be compelled to join a union?......Page 244
Can unions set their ownmembership criteria?......Page 246
Can unions compel their members to participate in union activities?......Page 247
Economics perspectives......Page 249
Access to employment......Page 250
During employment......Page 251
Dismissal......Page 254
Duties to support union activities......Page 255
Freedom of association between workers and trade unions......Page 256
Trade union rules on membership......Page 257
Union discipline and expulsion......Page 258
Further reading......Page 261
12 Industrial action......Page 262
Rights perspectives......Page 263
Economics perspectives......Page 267
The law on trade unions and strike organisers......Page 271
The law on individual strikers......Page 277
Further reading......Page 280
The economic and social context......Page 282
The ILO......Page 283
The EU......Page 284
The UK......Page 287
Index......Page 291