Labour’s ‘Fair Work Agency,’ the organisation being set up to police employers and enforce the hated Employment Rights Act and replace the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, is hiring some of its most senior staff on four-day weeks. Start as you mean to go on – the agency set to make life hell for employers with costs up to their eyeballs is taking the relaxed approach with its own staff…
A now-closed job advertisement for the agency’s Head of HR offered a whopping £80,538 for an “inspiring and forward-thinking Head of Human Resources to shape the people culture of a new organisation. This is a rare and exciting opportunity to join the FWA at the very beginning of its journey and build a modern, people-centred HR function from the ground up.” In comparison the head of internal communications at the agency will only be paid £50,282. For that taxpayer cash they also get to “create an inclusive and engaging employee experience” – yippee…
Incredibly the government is offering a four-day week for the role:
“Part time working hours are available for this role. We can accept part time applicants who can commit to working a minimum of 30 hours over 4 days per week.”
That is 7.5 hours a day. Fewer than the average private sector (or indeed public sector) employee works each day for five days…
The quango is hamming up its role: “With strong powers to inspect workplaces, review records and take action on behalf of workers, the FWA will play a central role in raising employment standards across the UK.” As Guido revealed the agency’s CEO has some seriously woke credentials…
Despite its work not having begun yet in earnest the Guardian and the unions have already lost their heads over the fact that the Department for Business and Trade mentioned “reducing regulatory burdens” as a possible priority for the quango in its first year. This is not going to go well…
Speaking to Sky News off the back of Rachel Reeves’ Air Passenger Duty hike, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said:
“Labour is dependent on those Red Wall seats, and yet every move she makes poisons economic growth and damages the UK’s recovery… it’s the Chancellor who stumbles from policy misstep to policy misstep… I think her policy decisions are incredibly stupid.”