Fair Work Charter

Please note this consultation has now closed. A summary of responses can be viewed here and the Outcome Report can be viewed here.

The information and proposals from the consultation, which took place between 11 March - 22 April 2022, can be found below.

Background

West Yorkshire DistrictsWest Yorkshire benefits from a highly diverse population with many ethnicities, age groups, backgrounds and lifestyles represented. Our population is projected to grow by 8% to more than 2.5 million people by 2043.

There are over 95,000 registered businesses in West Yorkshire, of which 54,000 are estimated to be employers.

Also, West Yorkshire has a Civil Society sector made up of 5,200 registered independent, self-directed organisations employing the full-time equivalent of nearly 30,000 people and 121,000 regular volunteers.

However, the reality is that our region is not as productive as it should be and Fair Work is not yet accessible for all.

These are some of the reasons why:

• Too many people are working in poor quality jobs
• Too many people are not paid enough to make ends meet
• There are big pay gaps between groups of workers
• Too many people are suffering from poor mental health
• Too many working age people are not in work

Despite these challenges, there is some encouraging evidence that making work fairer for everyone will also boost productivity, and business success.

We know that:

• Increasing worker pay at the lower end of the labour market – and narrowing pay gaps – can help increase productivity
• Addressing poor physical and mental health in our working population can also help (ill health accounts for some 30% of the north / south productivity gap)
• Actively increasing workplace diversity can further improve productivity
• Helping to reduce the number of working aged people developing long-term health conditions can decrease rates of economic inactivity
• Fair employment practices are highly influential in decisions made by employees, job seekers, consumers, funders, investors, and commissioners.
  Mayor Tracy Brabin

Implementing a Charter in West Yorkshire will have:

• Economic impacts / a “business” benefit – including boosted workforce productivity, profitability/revenues, and innovation; and,
• Social value – such as by reducing in-work poverty, boosting health and wellbeing, and promoting greater economic inclusion for disadvantaged groups and communities.

Charter development

The Mayor has brought together a Steering Group of leaders and experts from across the public, private and third sectors to lead on the development of the Charter and who are supporting this consultation. These representatives cover a broad range of interests including employees, employers of all sizes from micro to bid corporate enterprises, and specific interest groups including public health, faith and ethics, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I), and best employment practices

They have identified 5 key aspects of what an employer needs to offer in terms of Fair Work.

Key aspects of Fair Work identified are:

If you have any questions please get in touch via:

• Email: yourvoice@westyorks-ca.gov.uk
• Telephone: 0113 245 7676 (Metroline)
• In writing to: Freepost CONSULTATION TEAM (WYCA) no stamp required

If you require these materials in different formats, please get in contact by email at yourvoice@westyorks-ca.gov.uk or telephone 0113 245 7676 (Metroline).

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