The Purpose of Labour Law

Labour law is designed to protect the rights of individual workers and employers, and to promote
productive, safe workplaces. Prior to the advent of labour legislation, workplaces were regulated
only by the ethics of the ownership and the bargaining power of the employee. Situations for
employees varied in terms of safety and other working conditions. Employers were in the
stronger position, leading the provinces to set minimum standards of employment. Any term of
the employment contract not regulated by statute is still subject to the common law.

Employment law is another name used for Labor law. This law is used for the employee's
benefits. It is the law which deals with the legal rights of and limitations on working people and
their organizations. As such, it looks at many features of the links between manager, trade
unions and employees. In different countries there are different; employment laws linked to
unionized places of work are different from those relating to specific individuals and in most of
the countries these differences are not there. There are two large classes of labor law.

• Collective Labor Law.

• Individual Labor Law.
Collective labor law is made for the relationships between group of employs including employer,
employee and union. Individual labor law is made for the employees' rights who are at work and
during the work contract.

Labor law started because the workers demand for suitable environment, right to organize, and
the instantaneous demands of employers to limit the powers of workers' and to keep labor costs
low. Employer's costs can increase such as health and safety conditions. Labor rights have
been essential to the social and economic growth since the industrial revolution.

Labour law defines your rights and obligations as workers, union members and employers in the
workplace. Generally, labour law covers:

• Industrial relations – certification of unions, labour-

management relations, collective bargaining and unfair labour
practices
• Workplace health and safety
• Employment standards, including general holidays, annual
vacations, working hours, unjust dismissals, minimum wage,
layoff procedures and severance pay