King's Speech: The end of exploitative working practices or a platform for a shift to AI bots?

“Legislation banning ‘exploitative’ working practices such as certain forms of zero-hours contracts and work as independent contractors will be a significant step forward for workers’ rights in the UK. Concerns around the impacts of highly flexibilised labour contracting is longstanding including lack of certainty and job security, low pay, low job quality and health and well-being implications. This change will provide better labour market opportunities, certainty and security, helping to make work pay.

There are some risks with this change including the potential that some employers will simply look to ways to reclassify their relationship with paid labour. While the change could also act to drive economic activity overseas or reduce labour demand, at least, in the short term in some sub-sectors where investments in AI alternatives to human workers could become more attractive, with the latter an important area also identified for legislation in the king's speech.

That said, bringing an end to exploitative practices is a necessary and important step forward for workers’ rights that is setting the UK on the path to a more equitable future of work.”