UK has a working population of 32 million, a 7.7% rate of unemployment and 73.4% who are not members of unions. The United Kingdom Labour law is about legal relationships shared between employers, workers and trade unions.

People who work in UK, benefit from this Labour Law which outlines the employment rights. According to these rights the minimum wage of a worker in the UK ought to be £5.93 according to the National Minimum Wages Act, he should also have 28 paid holidays anually, no overtime unless consented to, as under the Working Time Regulation 1998, have the right to take leave related to child care and the right for flexible working hours as per the Employment Rights Act 1996.

The Equality Act 2010 states that employees are not to be judged on the basis of gender, race, beliefs, sexuality, age or disabilities but they are to be judged as per their content of character. The Employment Rights Act 1996, also states that unless an employee rejects his employment relationship, every employer should give a realistic notice period after a month’s work before the employees dismissal. This should be backed with a good reason after a year’s work and a joblessness payment after two years. In the case of a company take over the Transfer of Undertaking Regulations 2006 states that employees terms are not to be made worse to the point of dismissal or without a good economic, orgizational, or technical reason.

Workers are also able to take part in the decisions of the company as to how it is should be managed, all through a growing set of statutory rights and through collective bargaining. In larger firms (over 50 staff) workers are to be informed and consulted in the areas of economic development and especially about business difficulties. This can be done using the work counsel, which is generally requested by the staff. UK is still to implement earlier proposals practiced by a majority in the European Union that require employees to vote for the company’s board of directors. The primary participatory model in UK is still collective bargaining, between the company management and trade unions.

The good news we have now is that from 2012 all workers in the UK will be enrolled for occupational pension, they will be able to codetermine to manage their retirement savings and their voice in the company.