Devolution and Power: Employment Rights, Bargaining and Risk

This article considers the implications of further constitutional devolution for the regulation of work and employment, taking Wales as its case study. It reviews the current profile of the Welsh labour market, the climate for industrial relations and existing structures of pay determination and collective bargaining in this context. The article concludes that devolution presents risks as well as potential benefits, especially where the collective interests of workers are not easily delimited by regional boundaries. Therefore, the risks of fragmentation and decentralisation should be taken into consideration when evaluating the implications of constitutional devolution for the collective power of workers and their trade unions.