Revenge of the Workers
Analysis1 Nov 2021

Revenge of the Workers

The shortage of HGV drivers has been hitting the headlines, but other sectors are affected by a lack of staff too, from care homes to restaurants. This despite wages going up, and the end of the furlough scheme. What's going on? Could it be that power is shifting away from employers to workers, for perhaps the first time since the 1970s? Since the 2008 financial crisis public opinion has increasingly been unfavourable towards globalisation, immigration and big corporations. This has been reflected in a shift away from an assumed pro-business stance among the mainstream political parties too. Philip Coggan speaks to a range of experts to find out what's been happening, whether workers really will gain more power, and what that might mean for the economy.

Guests: Ben Clift, Professor of Political Economy at the University of Warwick Dame DeAnne Julius, Distinguished Fellow for Global Economy and Finance, Chatham House Kate Bell, Head of Rights, International, Social and Economics at the Trades Union Congress Rob Ford, Professor of Political Science at the University of Manchester Jonathan Portes, Professor of Economics and Policy at King’s College, London Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality Shereen Hussein, Professor of Health and Social Care Policy at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Gerwyn Davies, Public Policy Adviser and Senior Market Analyst at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development

Producer: Arlene Gregorius Sound: Gareth Jones

Episoder(389)

How far should reparative justice go?

How far should reparative justice go?

Amid mounting claims for reparations for slavery and colonialism, historian Zoe Strimpel asks how far reparative justice should go. Should we limit reparations to the living survivors of state atroc...

1 Aug 202329min

Is there a new elite?

Is there a new elite?

People have always fought back against “The elite”, and until recently they were easily recognisable: rich, privileged and often born into money. Old Etonians, billionaires, oil barons, media tycoons ...

17 Jul 202328min

Why are so many workers on strike?

Why are so many workers on strike?

Will 2023 be known as the summer of discontent? This year, nearly every corner of the country has been affected by some kind of industrial action, and more is coming. Teachers, doctors, nurses, rail...

10 Jul 202328min

Does work have to be miserable?

Does work have to be miserable?

How can employers in all sectors of the UK economy get the best out of their workers, retain experienced staff, improve productivity and increase profits at the same time? The principles of "Job Desig...

3 Jul 202328min

Do single people get a raw deal?

Do single people get a raw deal?

Single people make up a large proportion of the population in Britain. People are marrying later and less, getting divorced more often, and living longer. Although not all people who live alone are si...

26 Jun 202328min

What’s changing about childbirth?

What’s changing about childbirth?

The past decade has seen important shifts in when women become mothers, with 31 years now being the average age for this to occur. This has implications for fertility, pregnancy and birth experiences....

19 Jun 202329min

What are companies for?

What are companies for?

Ruth Sunderland, the group business editor of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, asks industry leaders and thinkers about the purpose of companies. Should they be organisations designed to generate pr...

12 Jun 202327min

Do Boycotts Work?

Do Boycotts Work?

Boycotts are big at the moment. On a global scale, many countries are boycotting Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. There are campaigns to boycott products produced in Turkey, Israel or China. ...

5 Jun 202328min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
aftenpodden-usa
i-retten
forklart
popradet
fotballpodden-2
rss-gukild-johaug
dine-penger-pengeradet
stopp-verden
nokon-ma-ga
det-store-bildet
bt-dokumentar-2
hanna-de-heldige
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk
chit-chat-med-helle
frokostshowet-pa-p5
aftenbla-bla
e24-podden
rss-dannet-uten-piano