Introducing sectoral bargaining in the UK: why it makes sense and how it might be done

Introducing sectoral bargaining in the UK: why it makes sense and how it might be done

Keith Sisson

These are some thoughts prompted by the prospect that, if elected in July, a Labour Government will follow up on the party’s 2021 Employment Rights Green Paper proposal to introduce (or, strictly speaking, reintroduce 1 ) sectoral bargaining in the UK – first in social care and, depending on the outcome, other sectors as well. Part 1 summarises the main benefits of sectoral bargaining, drawing on a range of international as well as UK sources. Part 2 of the paper focuses on the issues that will need to be resolved if sectoral bargaining is to be successfully introduced in the UK.