Freedom and Dignity in the UK workplace

Abstract

Freedom and dignity, two key aims of the Italian Workers’ Statute of 1970, stand out as two concepts of debate in the UK workplace. Dignity has not been a frequently used term in UK employment law. Freedom has been a challenging concept in this jurisdiction. Freedom of association has been notably curbed in the UK since the 1980s. Even in the 21st century, the means through which trade unions can execute their representative functions have been limited by legislation. Freedom of expression has also been restricted, particularly through the remarkable force of contract clauses and policies that grant employers power to assess the online remarks of their workers. This situation has been lightly treated to date. Finally, there seem to be looming issues of access to justice for workers when one considers government attempts to (arguably) disincentivise recourse to employment tribunals.