Contemporary tendencies

Labour law differs from the older branches of the law in that its history has been in some cases so much influenced by the ebb and flow of political change, its development so rapid, and its expansion on a world scale so recent that it is difficult to predict its future. But the trend is clear. In no place is labour law losing importance. While some types of protective legislation, notably special provision for the protection of women workers, are losing their importance, the tendency is toward more comprehensive legislation embracing a wider range of subjects and often dealing with matters previously left to collective agreement, individual contract, or the discretion of the employer.

The transition everywhere has been from a class law protecting the weakest segment of society to a community law designed to serve the common interest. This development is seen in the elimination of limitations and exceptions to the law and in the increasing emphasis given to matters of general interest, including full employment, equitable distribution of wealth, and community responsibility for the incidence of misfortune in individual lives.

Labour law must also be said to serve the social interest in promoting constructive industrial relations and reducing the occurrence of open conflict. This evolution of labour law is an important contribution to the evolution of the law as a whole, from a law for the propertied and trading classes with a special chapter for the working class to a common law for the entire community.

The importance of a body of law that has a dynamic and progressive impact rather than a restrictive influence is now widely understood, and the need for legal flexibility to facilitate economic and social development and change is increasingly appreciated. In addition, the value of delegated powers and procedures of consultation with interested groups and organizations to achieve such flexibility is more generally recognized. Social objectives remain the test of the validity of economic policy, and labour law plays a major part in defining these objectives and ensuring that economic policy respects them in the interest of the whole community.