The Good Jobs Employment Rights Bill has the potential to be the cornerstone of the current political mandate in Northern Ireland.
When Stormont returned, political attention turned - as it often does - to the big-ticket items: budget black holes, public finances, the broken health system, and concerns about the cost of doing business. These are undoubtedly important concerns, but there’s another matter quietly developing in the background, that could shape the future of Northern Ireland’s economy in profound ways: the Good Jobs Employment Rights Bill.
Proposals for the bill have already been the subject of extensive consultation, and we await the Department to publish its policy position paper before the next steps can unfold. Still, for most people - particularly outside of business, trade union, or policy and political circles - the bill has yet to gain the public attention it deserves. And yet the very issues at its core - improving working conditions and ensuring a stronger voice for workers - are among the most pressing for Northern Ireland. Both for ensuring long-term economic success, but also in ensuring that our employment rights don’t fall further behind the standards in countries we compare ourselves to.
The consulted upon Good Jobs bill covers a wide range of possible interventions across four thematic areas, including: Terms of employment; Pay and benefits; Work-life balance and Voice and representation.
These themes when listed may appear abstract, but the reality is much clearer for workers who experience the challenges at the cold end of the labour market. For many of us, we may not fully grasp the significance because we already benefit from the basic standards the bill aims to establish. But for others, these are not just ideas on paper - they represent real struggles.
For some it’s the struggle of not receiving a pay slip or not being able to keep tips or gratuity payments received or not knowing if or what hours you will work this coming week. For others it’s having to face the reality of not being able to go back to work following a maternity leave because flexible working is not an option, where it could be. For others, it’s being misclassified as self-employed when you’re really working like an employee, meaning you don’t get the rights or protections that come with having employee status. For others it’s the difficulties which arise from not having the support of a collective voice to help secure fair treatment or advocate for better conditions in the workplace.
Workers facing these challenges know why the Good Jobs Bill matters. For others it is worth reminding ourselves that of the approximately 349,000 people in poverty in Northern Ireland according to the latest official estimates, two-thirds were in work. We also know that 1 in 3 workers in Northern Ireland do not meet the official good jobs measure criterion, meaning that they do not have a job which meets the following standards: a permanent contract; a non-zero-hour contract; earning the Real Living Wage or more.
The bill presents a genuine opportunity to grow the number of good jobs by raising the minimum statutory floor and making employment law fairer.
This is about more than individual protections. It’s a potential shift in the employment relations landscape - one where trade union rights are strengthened, and collective relations are a key lever for transitioning to a high-road economic model. A high-road economic model focuses on boosting productivity, creating secure, well-paid jobs, and ensuring sustainable growth. It’s about fostering a fairer economy where both businesses and workers thrive, contributing to long-term social and economic stability.
But before we fall into the trap of assuming that strengthening trade union rights or collective employment relations means we’re on the brink of conflict, business interference, or a general strike, let’s look at the evidence. Strengthened trade union rights is about giving workers access to voice and representation. And the reality is, evidence shows that it will not lead to small business chaos or economic collapse.
In Scotland, the Fair Work Agenda promotes fair practices and trade union representation. Its Fair Work First initiative requires companies to meet fair work standards to access government funding. Collective bargaining is championed, particularly in sectors like social care, retail, and construction.
Wales has embedded Social Partnership as a model for collaboration between employers, workers, and government. The Social Partnership Act (2021) strengthens trade union-employer cooperation. Wales is proving that collective bargaining isn’t just welcome - it’s essential for improving economic outcomes and workers’ lives.
Meanwhile, at Westminster, the Employment Rights Bill - currently progressing through Parliament—proposes measures to strengthen union access, improve recognition, and introduce Fair Pay Agreements, starting with adult social care.
In setting about on this direction of travel in Scotland, Wales and England the aim wasn’t about making trade unions "fashionable" again. Let’s face it - union density has been in steady decline for years, and whether or not they’ll ever regain their former prominence is anyone’s guess. What’s driving this shift isn’t nostalgia for union power, but the evidence. We know that when workers have a voice and fair conditions, businesses benefit. They’re more engaged, more productive, and less likely to be absent. They have better health.
We need be careful not to see inclusion of voice and representation in the consultation around the good jobs bills as being about some ideological whim. That’s lazy and that’s not how it’s seen elsewhere. It’s about rallying all stakeholders - businesses, workers, policymakers and most importantly, political leaders – and throwing the full weight of our collective efforts into creating a fairer, more prosperous future for everyone.
This focus on trade union rights and discussions about collective bargaining isn’t unique to the UK. In fact, it reflects a wider international movement which recognises the role of worker voice in building stronger economies. Beginning today, Belfast hosts the Uni-Europa global union conference, bringing together over 600 trade union leaders from 50 countries. The theme? Collective bargaining. These issues sit at the heart of global conversations about fair work and economic growth.