Fair Work Commission meeting: 10 August 2018

The Fair Work Commission held its first meeting on 10 August 2018.

In this meeting the reporting deadline of March 2019 was noted. An outline timetable of work for the Commission and a schedule for meetings of the full Commission were agreed.

The Commission considered its Terms of Reference in some detail, identifying the scope and boundaries of its work. A set of initial papers were discussed. These included a summary of work and output of the Fair Work Board and an outline of recent Welsh Government policy and actions relevant to the fair work agenda.

Members discussed a range of practical issues, including:

• The role of the Independent Expert Advisor
• A broad approach to engagement with stakeholders
• The need for a web presence and email address for the Commission

Members engaged in a wide ranging, preliminary discussion of a range of substantive issues, including:

• Some key components and principles of fair work, for example in relation to pay, employee voice and representation, safety and security, skills, progression, equality
• Potential levers for promoting and encouraging fair work
• The Welsh Government’s current approach to fair work, including relevant policies and legislation. This included the Well-Being of Future Generations Act as well as activity in procurement, economic development, and social care
• Different approaches being taken to defining and delivering on ‘fair work’ elsewhere in the UK and more widely
• Legislative approaches

The Commission attached importance to developing a working definition of fair work as an early output of the Commission which could be tested in the call for evidence. It was agreed that there should be a Call for Evidence undertaken in October / November. This would be based on a set of questions which would be drafted prior to the next meeting, which is to be held on 2 October 2018.