Business leaders urge Stormont to delay workers' rights reforms

Northern Ireland business leaders have urged the executive to delay major reforms to workers' rights.

They say there will not be enough time to properly scrutinise the employment law changes before next year's assembly election.

In a letter to ministers they also raised the potential negative impacts on job creation and investment.

The Good Jobs Bill, first announced in 2024, would give workers a range of enhanced rights including an effective ban on zero hour contracts.

The bill is a major priority for the Economy Minister, Caomihe Archibald.

She has described it as necessary to "help families meet the demands of modern life, support well-being and allow parents and carers to remain in the workforce."

It is understood that businesses are most concerned about changes aimed at enhancing the role of trades unions.

Currently unions can only start the process of seeking recognition in a workplace if there are at least 21 employees.

The new law would cut that threshold to 10 employees.

The most controversial proposal is to give unions greater rights to meet with a workforce.

Currently, unions generally only have a right to enter a workplace if they are already recognised by the employer.

The bill would give unions a "right to request" access to meet with workers for recruitment and representation.

Access would not be automatic, but employers would not be permitted to "unreasonably" withhold it.

In January, the senior official at the Department for the Economy (DfE), which is responsible for the bill, told MLAs that a Code of Practice was being developed to define what would be "reasonable."

In their letter, the business groups said: "We are increasingly concerned that we are running out of time to ensure that full and proper scrutiny can be given to the Bill, or indeed, any potential amendments.

"The risk of unintended consequences is now so significant that all consideration should be given to deferring the Bill.

"The stakes for workers, employers, and the wider economic recovery are simply too high."

Even before this intervention there were growing doubts if there would be enough time for the proposed law to be made before the Assembly election.

The finalised bill was expected to be introduced in January, it was then pushed to March and is still yet to appear.

The DUP has also expressed some scepticism about the Bill with its Upper Bann assembly member Jonathan Buckley recently calling it a "hamfisted piece of legislation."

The Irish Congress of Trades Unions (ICTU) described the intervention as a "cynical attempt to block positive change that people understand and want."

The organisation added: "Most firms being represented by these 20 lobby groups are practicing already many of these proposed improvements.

"The only firms who will benefit from the Good Jobs Bill being stalled are those who are undercutting good employers.

"This is a time-wasting exercise."

A spokesperson for DfE said the minister "appreciates the constructive engagement" from businesses and representatives.

"It is regrettable that we have lost two years of the mandate, which has made legislative timeframes more challenging," it continued, adding that the bill's text would soon be published.

"This is a significant piece of legislation and careful consideration of the detail of the Bill will therefore be important.

"The Minister is committed to continuing to work collaboratively with business representatives, Trade Unions, and the Economy Committee and MLAs, throughout the scrutiny process."

It is rare for Northern Ireland business groups to get into a public disagreement with the economy minister.

The leaders of these groups also know they will now be painted as fat cats opposed to workers rights.

So that they have chosen this fight now shows the depth of concern among their members.

The minister is adamant she wants these changes in law by the time of the next assembly election.

The business groups say that would be a damaging mistake. Who will prevail?