Miller Research was commissioned by the Bevan Foundation in January 2021 to undertake research into fair work in the foundational economy. The project aimed to understand the challenge of fair work and develop recommendations for changes in legislation, policy, public finances and practice in Wales that will improve terms and conditions in the retail, social care and hospitality sectors.

Our approach to the research included a series of semi and unstructured interviews with employer organisations, employee representatives and workers within each sector. This was followed by comprehensive analysis of the fieldwork and three written reports – one per sector – that highlighted the relevant issues, as well as key recommendations for improvement efforts.

Across each of the sectors, the research found:

• Weak job security was widely experienced. Within social care this was largely due to perceived arbitrary and inconsistent enforcement of the practice for social care workers. In hospitality and retail, non-existent or vague contractual arrangements between employers and employees made roles feel particularly vulnerable.
• Low pay was a considerable concern amongst workers. Many relied on other welfare benefits to supplement income and felt wages did not reflect their value to their employer. A significant number of interviewees were under real financial pressure as a result.
• Cuts to staffing, rising workloads, additional tasks related to Covid-19 and limited investment in staff training are putting staff under significant pressure in the workplace.
• Relatively poor terms and conditions were experienced.
• Trades union membership is relatively low.

If the foundational economy is to be central to efforts to regenerate the Welsh economy, especially after Covid-19, then terms and conditions in foundational economy sectors, must be improved. Stronger worker voice, greater security, and higher pay – amongst several other areas – should be key priorities for improvement.

You can read the full report’s here:

Retail: https://www.bevanfoundation.org/resources/fair-work-in-the-foundational-economy-experiences-in-retail/

Social Care: https://www.bevanfoundation.org/resources/fair-work-in-the-foundational-economy-experiences-in-social-care/

Hospitality: https://www.bevanfoundation.org/resources/fair-work-in-the-foundational-economy-experiences-in-hospitality/