Social partnership – can it improve working lives?

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EventsResourcesVideosWebinarEvent Date: Apr 29th, 2020  Time: 15:00

Nearly a quarter of the Welsh workforce does not earn enough to live on and thousands struggle with poor conditions.

The idea of ‘fair work’ has risen up the policy agenda recently as a way of addressing the many challenges faced by people in work in Wales.  But as employment matters are not  devolved to the Welsh Government options for change are limited.  Social partnership – essentially employers and trades unions working together – has emerged as a key tool that can be deployed. With plans for a new ‘Social Partnership Act’ underway, this webinar will explore the potential and limitations of the proposed approach.

In this webinar, Huw Anslow, Project Officer at the Bevan Foundation, is joined by Shavanah Taj, General Secretary of the Wales TUC, and Leighton Jenkins, Assistant Director and Head of Policy at CBI Wales, who provide their insights into social partnerships and the role they can play in Wales.

Some of the key topics covered include:

  • the Welsh Government’s proposed social partnership bill;
  • the potential for improved dialogue between employers and employees;
  • the limits to public procurement as a tool for increasing fair work.

The Presenters:

Victoria Winckler

Dr Victoria Winckler - host

Dr Victoria Winckler has been the Director of the Bevan Foundation since 2002, establishing it as Wales’ most exciting and innovative think-tank. Victoria is also currently Wales adviser to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Victoria is a leading contributor to public policy in Wales. In the 1990s she developed the proposals that secured EU Objective 1 status for West Wales and the Valleys, in the early 2000s she galvanised the Welsh Government’s actions to tackle poverty and most recently generated robust proposals for new Welsh taxes which are now being taken forward by the Welsh Government.

Victoria frequently gives expert evidence to Assembly Committees, comments in online articles and speaks at a wide range of events. She is currently a member of the Ministerial Tax Advisory Group, and a board member of Traveline Cymru.

Victoria previously held roles at the Welsh Local Government Association, Mid Glamorgan County Council and Cardiff University and has served in public appointments and as a board member of several organisations.

Victoria holds a BA (Hons) in geography, MSc in Town Planning and a PhD.

Huw Anslow

Huw joined the Bevan Foundation in February 2020 and leads on our work on fair work in the foundational economy. He was previously Policy and External Affairs Officer at the General Medical Council Wales, and Health Account Manager at News Direct Wales.

He hold a MSc in EU Politics from LSE and a degree in international politics from Aberystwyth University.

Shavanah Taj

Shavanah Taj is General Secretary of the Wales TUC. Previously, she worked for the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), where she has been the Welsh Secretary since 2013.

Prior to joining PCS as a full-time officer in 2002, Shavanah worked in retail, call centres and the third sector. From 2018 to 2019, she served as the President of the Wales TUC.

Cardiff born and raised, Shavanah grew up steeped in the trade union movement. Her father was a Health and Safety representative in the steel works.

“He always encouraged us to stand up for ourselves and stand with others in their time of need” Shavanah says.

Shavanah is passionate about equality, social justice and human rights. She is a patron of Show Racism the Red Card Wales, and a trustee for the Henna Foundation which supports victims and survivors of domestic abuse and honour-based violence. She’s also a trustee for Fio, a grassroots theatre group that encourages young working-class people to engage with arts and culture.

Leighton Jenkins

Leighton Jenkins is Assistant Director and Head of Policy at CBI Wales. Born in Bridgend, Leighton holds a law degree and a theology diploma from King's College London, as well as a master's degree in European policy from Cardiff University. As part of his role at the CBI, he sits on the Welsh Government's Tax Advisory Group, the Council for Economic Renewal, and the Secretary of State for Wales' Economic Advisory Group.

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