The Economy Minister said she has received “no indication” that any other party will attempt to block her Good Jobs Bill.
There is “plenty of time left” for Stormont to pass a Bill in the current mandate which would overhaul Northern Ireland’s employment laws, Caoimhe Archibald has insisted.
The Economy Minister said she has received “no indication” that any other party will attempt to block her Good Jobs Bill.
Ms Archibald first set out the proposals in the Bill in April 2025, describing it as the “biggest upgrade to our employment legislation since the Good Friday Agreement ”.
There are proposals in the proposed legislation relating to zero-hour contracts, improving family-related leave and strengthening trade unions’ rights.
However, more than a year later, the Bill has still not been published or debated by MLAs.
It is due to be considered by ministers in the powersharing Executive later this month before it can be given the green light to go to the Assembly.
However, some DUP politicians have already raised concerns about the Bill, while business groups have called for it to be paused, stating there is not enough time for it to be properly scrutinised before the end of the current Assembly mandate in March next year.
Ms Archibald told the BBC’s Sunday Politics show that the Bill has been drafted and is with her Executive colleagues.
She said: “From my perspective there is plenty of time left in the mandate to go to the Assembly, to be passed to the committee for its scrutiny and for it to ultimately pass before the end of the mandate.”
Asked why it had taken so long, the minister said: “It is a big Bill, there are a lot of elements to it, some really important advances in terms of workers’ rights, things in there like the right to carers’ leave, the right to neonatal care leave, the opportunity for people to access trade unions in the workplace.
“There are really important advances in this Bill, and it has taken its time to be drafted.
“When I announced the proposals that would be within the Bill, I said I would engage constructively with everybody involved in drafting the Bill ultimately, and I have done that.
“We have undertaken considerable engagement to get to the point where we are now at, over 100 engagements have been undertaken since (previous economy minister) Conor Murphy originally introduced this Bill; by him, by my officials and by myself to really listen to people and to try and shape something which works for both workers and employers, because ultimately we do have to try and get that balance right.”
Ms Archibald said she had been engaging with the business groups who have called for the Bill to be delayed.
She said: “What we have tried to do with this piece of legislation is to get the balance right. I think we have addressed the concerns they have set out.
“They haven’t actually seen the piece of legislation, that is why it is really important that we get it through the Executive, introduced into the Assembly so people can see the detail.
“Where there are concerns they will see hopefully where those have been addressed.”
The minister said she had been engaging with her Executive colleagues on the legislation.
She said: “I have had no indications at this point from any of the parties that they are not supporting it.
“There is plenty of time for this piece of legislation to be scrutinised.
“The Employment Rights Bill that was just recently introduced in Britain, its committee stage took seven weeks.
“There is no reason why this piece of legislation can’t be properly scrutinised, people give their views, and it can be fully debated in the Assembly and passed before the end of the mandate.
“It would not be typical for our scrutiny processes, but it shows that it can be done.”
Ms Archibald added: “My ministerial colleagues, as you would expect, are asking questions about the Bill and we are endeavouring to get those responses to them as quickly as possible to inform their decision making.”
She said: “One thing to say about this piece of legislation, it has really strong support amongst the public, it contains really important advances in terms of workers’ rights so I don’t see how it would be in the interests of any party to be blocking this piece of legislation in the Executive.
“The DUP have form in that regard in terms of frustrating the progress of some other important things.
“We do need political will, but I see absolutely no reason why this piece of legislation would be blocked, it is a positive, progressive piece of legislation, it is exactly what the Assembly should be debating, progressing and making sure that we do have it passed into law before the end of this mandate.”
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login