Government urged not to resurrect fees for UK employment tribunals – The Guardian

‘Unions and workers’ rights groups are urging the government to reconsider plans to reintroduce fees for employment tribunals amid fears it will encourage exploitation.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 26th February 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Industrial action in the UK – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 19th, 2024 in employment, industrial action, news, trade unions by tracey

‘UK employers faced with industrial action need to understand the steps that a trade union must take before they can lawfully make a call for industrial action and the timing of those steps.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 16th February 2024

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Case Comment: Independent Workers Union of Great Britain v Central Arbitration Committee and Anor [2023] UKSC 43 – UKSC Blog

‘In this post, Liz Jackson, Trainee Solicitor, and Max Wiktorsson, Associate, in the Employment Team at CMS, comment on the decision from the Supreme Court in Independent Workers Union of Great Britain v Central Arbitration Committee and Anor. [2023] UKSC 43. The case was heard by the Supreme Court on 25 and 26 April 2023 and judgment was handed down on 21 November 2023.’

Full Story

UKSC Blog, 23rd January 2024

Source: ukscblog.com

The top five employment cases that will shape 2024 – Local Government Lawyer

‘Rebecca Denvers identifies the cases which will have a big impact on employment law and HR policies and practices over the next 12 months.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 19th January 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Union reports MoD to watchdog over handling of sexual abuse allegations – The Guardian

‘The Ministry of Defence has been reported to the equalities watchdog after claims from female civil servants that it has failed adequately to address allegations of sexual harassment and assault. The union Prospect wrote to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) asking for an investigation into whether the MoD was failing in its public sector equalities duty in relation to discrimination, harassment and victimisation. The EHRC will now have to decide whether to take action.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 14th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

A blow – possibly fatal – to the IWGB’s quest for union recognition with Deliveroo – Cloisters

‘On 21 November 2023, the Supreme Court handed down its long-awaited judgment in the Deliveroo case, dismissing the appeal of the IWGB trade union. The Court confirmed that the union is not entitled to apply for statutory recognition under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (“TULRCA”) because its members, Deliveroo’s delivery riders (“the Riders”), are not workers within the autonomous concept under article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights (“ECHR”).’

Full Story

Cloisters, 27th November 2024

Source: www.cloisters.com

Research Briefing – Trade unions and industrial relations – House of Commons Library

Posted January 8th, 2024 in employment, industrial action, news, parliament, trade unions by tracey

‘This briefing covers the rules governing trade unions, the rights of union members, collective bargaining, strikes and other industrial action”

Full Story

House of Commons Library, 5th January 2024

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Strikes: what will minimum service levels look like in the education sector? – Local Goverment Lawyer

‘The Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 came into force on 20 July 2023 and gives the government powers to make regulations to set minimum service levels in specified sectors during strikes. This includes education. Joanne Moseley looks at the implications for the sector.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 15th December 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Case Preview: Secretary of State for Business and Trade v Mercer – UKSC Blog

‘Under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (“TULRCA”), s. 146, workers are protected against detriments falling short of dismissal related to taking part in the activities of an independent trade union at an appropriate time. The scope of “trade union activities” in that provision has been interpreted as not including industrial action.’

Full Story

UKSC Blog, 5th December 2023

Source: ukscblog.com

Minimum service levels update – major change to UK trade union law – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 27th, 2023 in employment, industrial action, local government, news, trade unions by tracey

‘Under the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023, which received Royal Assent on 20 July 2023, the Secretary of State has the power to set Minimum Service Levels (MSLs) for “relevant services” in the fields of health, transport, education, fire and rescue, border control, and nuclear decommissioning and radioactive waste management services. Christopher Grierson and Francesca Gallagher look at the key provisions.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 24th November 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Blow to gig economy workers after UK supreme court rules against collective bargaining rights – The Guardian

‘Deliveroo riders do not have the right to collective negotiations on pay and conditions, the UK’s top court has ruled, in a blow to gig economy campaigners and the unions that represent them.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 21st November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sheffield council faces mass equal pay claim over ‘scandalous’ pay grades – The Guardian

‘Sheffield city council is to become the latest local authority to face a mass equal pay claim from women who have been underpaid by up to £11,000 a year, the GMB union has said.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 25th September 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Tribunal rejects MoJ’s ‘elaborate’ reason for refusing FOI request – Law Society’s Gazette

The first-tier tribunal has overturned a ruling that the Ministry of Justice was entitled to turn down freedom of information requests relating to cleaners’ pay.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 8th September 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

TUC complains to UN watchdog over ‘undemocratic’ UK anti-strike law – The Guardian

‘The Trades Union Congress has lodged a complaint with the UN’s labour standards body claiming the UK government flouted the watchdog’s orders over its newly enforced “undemocratic” anti-strike law.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 10th September 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Strike action ‘minimum services’ code in Britain drafted – OUT-LAW.com

‘Businesses affected by strike action in Britain this year have an opportunity to help the government find a way to ensure services in six important areas impacting the economy continue to be delivered while such action is underway.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 5th September 2023

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Strengthened immunity protection proposed in Arbitration Act reform – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Arbitrators’ common law duty to disclose any reason for doubts as to their impartiality could be codified under proposals from the Law Commission of England and Wales today. The recommendation is among proposed updates to the Arbitration Act 1996 which the independent reform body has published along with draft legislation.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 6th September 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

The Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023: what does it mean for workers? – Cloisters

‘On 13 July 2023, the High Court quashed the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses (Amendment) Regulations 2022, which attempted to render lawful the supply of agency workers to break a strike. In this judicial review brought by 11 trade unions, the High Court held that the government had acted unlawfully and irrationally by introducing the Regulations, by failing in its duty to consult on the Regulations, and instead relying on a 7-year old consultation (from 2015) where the majority of stakeholders had opposed earlier proposals of a similar set of legislations (§28). The Court found that the then business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng had proceeded ‘at exceptional speed’ in introducing the Regulations before the summer recess of 2022 (§175), an approach described by the Court as one which ‘frustrated the aim of informed decision-making’ (§180). Although this judgment has several interesting public law implications, specifically on the extent and nature of the government’s duty to consult, it is also significant for labour law, and was hailed by the unions as a significant victory in preserving the right to strike in the UK.’

Full Story

Cloisters, July 2023

Source: www.cloisters.com

High court quashes rules letting agency workers cover for UK strikers – The Guardian

Posted July 14th, 2023 in government departments, industrial action, news, trade unions by sally

‘Legal changes brought by the government to let agency staff fill in for striking workers have been quashed by the high court, with ministers’ approach to the policy being labelled “irrational”.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 13th July 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Workers’ rights put at risk by plan to scrap EU working hours rules, says TUC – The Guardian

Posted May 11th, 2023 in bills, brexit, EC law, news, trade unions, working time by sally

‘Trades unions have warned that workers’ rights are in peril after the government unveiled new plans to scrap EU rules on working hours as part of its drive to cut “unnecessary red tape”.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 10th May 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Powys: Care home firm ‘bullied’ staff to accept new conditions – BBC News

‘A care home firm has been accused of bullying staff into accepting new terms and conditions or face being fired.’

Full Story

BBC News, 16th April 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk