Trade Union Bill Briefing

Tradeunionsplayavitalroleinrepresentingmillionsofworkersacrossthecountryand makingsuretheyaretreatedfairlyatwork.Collectivebargainingisattheheartofwinninga betterdealforworkers.Itworksbecauseemployersandemployeesbothhavesomepower. Partofthatbalanceisthatworkerscantakeindustrialaction.Buttheproposalsinthetrade unionbillunderminetherighttostrike.

No-onetakesthedifficultdecisiontogoonstrikelightly.Mostdisputesendwitha negotiatedagreement,buttherighttostrikehastobethereinordertobringemployersto thetable.Andaswellasthethreattotherighttostrike,thegovernmentisalsoundermining tradeunions’abilitytogoabouttheireverydaybusinessrepresentingworkers.Theyhave proposedlotsofnewrestrictionsonhowunionswork,howtheyareregulatedandhowthey spendtheirmoney. This is despite the fact that the number of days lost due to strike action is at a historic low.

Thetradeunionbillisunfair,unnecessaryandundemocratic. The bill flies in the face of the Government’s claim that it is on the side of workers.

Agency workers

Thegovernmentplanstoallowagency workerstoreplacestrikingworkers.Andby requiring14days’noticeofstrikeaction (ratherthan7asatpresent),employerswill havemoretimetoarrangeagencyworkers tocoverforstrikes.

ThishasbeenbannedintheUKsince1973.

Whatareourconcerns?

  • Thisfundamentallyunderminesthe righttostrike,asitreducesthe impactofstrikeaction,andupsets thepowerbalancebetweenworkers andemployers.
  • ThesechangeswillmaketheUKan outlierinEurope.AcrosstheEU largeagencieshaveagreednotto useagencyworkerstoreplace strikingworkers. The reason being that such action would undermine good industrial relations. The Government’s proposals are divisive and may create mistrust between employers, workers and agency workers.
  • Therearehealthandsafetyconcerns aboutinexperiencedreplacement

workerstakingontherolesofthe permanentworkforce.

  • Inexperiencedagencyworkersreplacingstrikersmightleadto poorerqualityservices.

Picketing andprotests

Unionswillhavetoappointpicket supervisors.Theywillberequiredtocarrya letterofauthorisationwhichmustbe presenteduponrequesttothepoliceor“to anyotherpersonwhoreasonablyasksto see it”.Thesupervisor’sdetailsmustbe giventothepoliceandtheymustbe identifiablebyanarmbandorbadge.

Failuretocomplycouldresultinacourt injunctiontostopthepicket,orthousands ofpoundsofdamagesfortheunion.

Localauthoritiescouldalsohavetheright toissueanti-socialbehaviourordersto picketlineparticipantsorprotesters.The governmentisevenconsultingon introducingnewcriminaloffencesand sanctions.

Unionsmayhavetoreportprotestplans publiclytoemployersandregulators14 days inadvanceofanyaction(andwillhave togive14days’noticeofanyindustrial action).Detailsrequiredwouldinclude timings,location,thenumberofparticipants andevenwhetherprotestersplantouse “loudspeakers,props,banners,etc”.If unionsdon’treporttheirplansthenthey facesignificantfines.

The Government claims that it is introducing these changes to tackle intimidation of employers and non-striking workers. However, during the consultation process the Government was unable to cite any evidence of widespread intimidation during strike action over the last few years. In fact a report that the Government commissioned on this matter was unable to make any recommendations to change the current law due to a lack of evidence.

Whatareourconcerns?

  • There is already a strict legal framework to tackle any intimidation of non-striking workers or employers.Thenewregulations areoverlybureaucraticandthe penaltiesaredisproportionate.
  • Theprotestrestrictionsare unjustifiedandwoulddivertalready scarcepoliceresourcesawayfrom tacklingseriouscrime.
  • Unionsarecurrentlyrequiredtogive7days’noticebeforeindustrial actiontakesplace.Doubling thenoticeperiodforstrikeactionto14 daysaswellasrequiringunionsto publishdetailsofprotestactivitieswillunderminenegotiationsand allowemployerstorecruitagency workerstocoverforstrikers.
  • Thislevelofscrutinyandmonitoring isexcessive,underminingfreedomofspeechandthreateningthecivil libertiesof workingpeoplewhoshouldbefreetodefendtheirrights.

Thresholds

In‘importantpublicservices’(fire,health, education,transport,bordersecurityand nucleardecommissioning),50%ofmembers mustturnouttovoteand40%oftheentire membershipmustvoteinfavour(that amountsto80%ofthosevoting,ona50% turnout).

Thegovernmentarguesthesethresholds areaimedatboostingdemocracyinthe workplace.

Whatareourconcerns?

  • Strikesarealwaysalastresortbut sometimestheyaretheonlywayto resolvedisputesatwork–including inthoseindustriesandoccupations includedinthegovernment’s definitionof‘importantpublic services’.
  • Thegovernment’sdefinitionof‘importantpublicservices’iswiderthanthedefinitionof‘essential services’ininternationallaw. Contrary to international law this may result in a two tier workforce where workers in certain sectors do not have the same rights as others.
  • Ifthegovernmentwascommittedto increasingdemocracyitwouldallow secureelectronicandworkplace strikeballotsinsteadofarbitrary thresholds.Onlinevotingisalready usedbyseveralnationalmembershiporganisationsincluding theRNIB,theInstituteofCharteredAccountantsforEnglandandWales, theNationalTrust,theMagistrates’ Association,theCountrysideAllianceandtheRoyalCollegeofSurgeons. Anditisregularlyusedbypolitical parties–includingbytheConservativepartytoselecttheirLondonMayoralcandidate.

Regulating unions

TheCertificationOfficer(whoregulates unions)willbegivenpowerstoinvestigate unionsandaccessmembershiplistsevenif no-onehascomplainedaboutaunion’s activities.Theregulatorwillalsobeableto imposefinesofupto£20,000onunions.

Thegovernmentwillbeabletocharge unionstocovertherunningcostsofthe CertificationOfficer.Costsarelikelyto increaseastheregulatorhasnew responsibilities.

Whatareourconcerns?

  • Thereisnoreasonwhythetrade unionregulatorneedsnewpowers now.
  • GivingtheCertificationOfficerthe powertoconfiscatecopiesof membershiprecordsandother documentsisanintrusiononunion members’privacyandtheirrightto haveanindependentrelationship withtheirunion.
  • Significantnewcostswillbeplaced onunionstopayforthisredtape– moneythatcouldbebetterspent protectingandpromotingtherights ofworkers.

Public sector facility time

Allpublicsectoremployerswillhaveto publishinformationonthecostoftimeoff forunionreps,plusabreakdownofwhat facilitytimeisusedfor–collective bargaining,representingmembersin grievancesordisciplinaryaction,orrunning trainingprogrammes.

Publicsectoremployerswon’tbeableto offertheoptionofpayingforunion membershipdirectthroughsalaries anymore(“check-off”).

Thegovernmentwillbeabletocapthetime publicsectoremployersallowunionrepsto spendrepresentingmembers.

Whatareourconcerns?

  • Thesechangeswillrestrictpublic sectoremployersfrominvestingin goodrelationswiththeirown employees.
  • Deductionsatpayrollareacommon waythatemployershelptheir employeesmanagetheirmoney– oftenchildcare,travel,bikeorcomputerpaymentsaremadethis way.It’snotclearwhyunion membershipfeesshouldbesingled out.
  • Thesemoveswillreduceunions’ abilitytorepresenttheirmembers andresolvedisputesbeforethey escalate.
  • Individualpublicsectoremployers shouldhavethefreedomtodecide howtheymanageemployment relations.
  • Thechangesaddmoreredtapefor unions,whosetimeandmoney wouldbebestspentserving members.

Trade union political funds

Currently,everytenyearsunionsare requiredtoballotmemberstodecide whethertheunionshouldmaintaina politicalfund.Thisdoesnotjustapplyto partypoliticalfundingbutanypolitical campaigningactivity.Undertheproposed regulations,unionmemberswillalsobe requiredtoopt-ineveryfiveyearstoagree tosubscriptionsbeingpartlyusedtofund politicalpartiesorcampaignsonpolitical issuessuchasanti-racism.

Tradeunionswillhavetoreportontheuse ofallpoliticalexpenditureabove£2,000.

Whatareourconcerns?

  • Unionmembersalreadychooseto optintoapoliticalfund,andhaveto voteeverytenyearsonwhethera unionshouldrunoneatall.Thereis noneedforfurthercostlyrestrictionsonpoliticalfunds.
  • Politicalfundsareusedtopayfora varietyofcampaigningactivities,includingcampaignsagainstracism andtheBNP.
  • Someunionsareaffiliatedtothe Labourpartyandusetheirpolitical fundtosupportitswork.Many othershavepoliticalfundsbutdo notcontributetospecificparties.
  • Thisattackappearstobemotivated byadesiretoreducefundingtothe Labourpartyfromthoseunionswho areaffiliated.Itisusualforproposals toreformpartypoliticalfundingto be negotiatedbetweenallthe politicalpartiesconcerned.Previous ConservativeleaderslikeWinston ChurchillandMargaretThatcher stucktothisagreement.

How to argue against the bill – hints and tips

Thegoodnewsisthatthepublicsupports therighttostrikeandthinksit’simportant– soweneedtotellthemabouthowthetradeunionbillthreatensthatimportant right,andgettheirsupport.

Weneedtofocusonthebillitself,andmakeitclearhowtheproposalsadduptoa realassaultontherighttostrike.

It’sagoodideatotalkabout:

Howgettinginexperienceduntrained agencyworkersintobreakstrikes wouldhavesafetyimplications,and mightleadtopoorer-qualitypublicservices.

Whygettingagencyworkersintocover forpermanentstaffonstrike underminesthe righttostrike completely

Whytherestrictionsonpicketingand protests–likehavingtotellyour employerwhatyou’llbepostingon Facebookaboutthestriketwoweeksinadvance–areridiculousandover-the- top

Ifyouhavemoretime,youcangetintothe detailsofthebill’sotherproposals–likethe thresholds,theimpacton union campaigningofthechangestothepolitical fund,andthebignewrestrictionsonunion repsinthepublicsector.Andyoucouldsay thatinsteadoftheseunnecessaryproposals, thegovernmentshouldletunionsbringin onlineandworkplaceballotingasawayto increasedemocraticengagement.

IndependentpollingbytheTUCshowsit’s mosteffectivetobespecificaboutwhy you’reconcernedaboutthesegovernment proposalsinparticular.

Throughout,befriendlyandreasonable, andcomepreparedwithlotsofexamplesof thegreatworkthatunionsdointhemodernworkplace.

If you need any further support or advice about lobbying your MP please contact Chris Brown, Parliamentary and Campaigns Officer by emailing