Activism in the Workplace - 42BR Barristers Employment Law Annual Lecture
The 42BR Barristers Employment Law Group is pleased to present its annual lecture on “Activism in the Workplace” — a subject at the forefront of this year’s most pivotal legal debates.
From Higgs v Farmor’s School to For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers, and with prominent appeals like Miller v University of Bristol and Bailey v Stonewall on the horizon, the lines between belief, free expression, and workplace policy are becoming increasingly blurred — and more challenging than ever to navigate.
We are thrilled to welcome two distinguished guest speakers:
Luke Tryl, Executive Director of More in Common and co-author of Progressive Activists and Professor Virginia Mantouvalou, Professor of Human Rights and Labour Law at UCL and co-author of Human Rights at Work.
The session features individual presentations from each speaker, followed by a panel Q&A session with the speakers and Rebecca Thomas, Head of the 42BR Employment Law Group, chaired by Jason Braier.
Programme
| 18:00 | Arrival |
| 18:15 | Introduction from Jason Braier, 42BR Barristers |
| 18:20 | Polling data, challenges to employers and how to navigate them – Luke Tryl |
| Drawing on More in Common's polling of more than 1,000 progressive activists and their widely covered recent report, Progressive Activists, Luke will discuss what the public thinks about issues around activism in the workplace and institutional neutrality, including debates around DEI. He’ll look at the challenges employers face when employees bring their progressive activism into work and how employers can navigate these employees’ expectations. | |
| 18:40 | Free speech at work/Free speech away from work - Virginia Mantouvalou |
| The value of freedom of expression is well established in democratic societies. However, its protection in the workplace creates new challenges. Do people have a right to express moral or political views at work that some may find offensive? Do workers have a right to express such views on social media, away from the workplace and working time? Can the employer limit speech in the workplace that is not illegal and what reasons may justify any restrictions? At times of increasing polarisation, this talk will examine the central principles on the right to freedom of expression in the workplace and support the argument that workers should enjoy strong protection. It will also consider possible limitations of free speech at work, focusing on instances where workers’ expression disrupts the rights of colleagues or affects workplace performance. | |
| 19:00 | Discussion and Q&A |
| 19:30 | Drinks and nibbles |
| 21:00 | Close |
Speakers
Luke Tryl - As Executive Director of More in Common, Luke leads its ground-breaking UK public opinion and thought leadership work, shining a light on what the public thinks about topics as diverse as progressive activism, immigration, climate change, gender identity and mental health. With a focus on the nuances and complexity of public opinion, he has helped policymakers, business and civil society navigate issues often regarded as tricky and divisive. He is a regular media commentator and has appeared on Radio 4's Today Programme, Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Times Radio, The News Agents and Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge. He has written for publications including the Times, Telegraph, Guardian, New Statesman and the Spectator. Before joining More in Common, Luke served as a Special Advisor to Nicky Morgan, Secretary of State of Education, during the Cameron administration and as Director of Strategy at Ofsted.
To view Luke Tryl's full website profile, please click here.
Professor Virginia Mantouvalou - Virginia Mantouvalou is Professor of Human Rights and Labour Law at UCL, Faculty of Laws, and Co-Director of the UCL Institute for Human Rights. Her recent publications include Structural Injustice and Workers' Rights (OUP 2023), Human Rights at Work (with Alan Bogg, Hugh Collins and ACL Davies), (Hart 2024) and Structural Injustice and the Law (with Jonathan Wolff), (UCL Press 2024). She has worked as Specialist Advisor to the Joint Committee of Human Rights, advisor to the ILO and the Council of Europe. She is also Chair of the NGO Kalayaan promoting the rights of migrant domestic workers.
To view Professor Virginia Mantouvalou's full website profile, please click here.
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