Fair Work Agency requires proper resources | Letter

Ruth Wilkinson says the workers’ rights watchdog will only succeed with sustained investment and political will

The appointment of Matthew Taylor to chair the new Fair Work Agency is a welcome step towards addressing longstanding issues in the labour market (14 October). But the creation of a single enforcement body will only be transformative if it is matched by sustained investment and political will.

For too long, the enforcement of labour market rules has been undermined not by the failure of regulators but by chronic underresourcing. HMRC’s national minimum wage unit and the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate, for example, have faced staffing and budget cuts that have had an impact on their ability to inspect, investigate and prosecute violations.